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POETICAL  WORKS 


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GEOFFREY  CHAUCER 


TO  WHICH  ARE  APPENDED 


POEMS  ATTRIBUTED  TO  CHAUCER 

EDITED  BY 

ARTHUR  GILMAN,  M.  A. 

“  0  Master ;  pardon  me,  if  yet  in  vain 
Thou  art  my  Master,  and  I  fail  to  bring 
Before  merits  eyes  the  image  of  the  thing 
My  heart  is  filled  with.’" 

William  Morris. 

IN  THREE  VOLUMES 
VOL.  I. 


BOSTON 

HOUGHTON,  OSGOOD  AND  COMPANY 

Ojc  RtbnstiJc  Press',  Camlmlfgc 

1879 


Copyright,  1879, 

By  HOUGHTON,  OSGOOD  &  CO. 
All  rights  reserved. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE! 
STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY 
H.  O.  HOUGHTON  AND  COMPANY. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


At  the  time  that  the  present  collection  of 
the  works  of  the  British  Poets  was  issued  in 
Boston,  there  was,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Editor,  no  text  of  Chaucer’s  poems  avail¬ 
able  for  use  that  was  worthy  of  the  poet’s 
name,  or  of  the  standard  of  excellence  and 
purity  established  for  the  series. 

The  deficiency  has  at  last  to  a  great  extent 
been  supplied  through  the  labors  of  scholars 
connected  with  the  Chaucer  Society,  of  Lon¬ 
don,  established  by  Mr.  Frederick  J.  Furnivall, 
and  directed  by  him  for  a  series  of  years  with 
a  persistent  and  self-sacrificing  generosity  sel¬ 
dom  equaled. 

This  learned  body  has  made  available  for 
the  use  of  editors  a  large  number  of  manu¬ 
scripts  of  the  different  poems  and  prose  works, 
and  notably  six  entire  texts  of  the  Canterbury 
Tales. 

In  the  present  edition  advantage  has  been 
taken  of  these  important  labors,  which  include 


IV 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


investigations  into  the  sources  of  Chaucer’s 
stories,  the  meaning  of  his  words,  and  the 
chronology  of  his  poems.  The  arrangement 
devised  by  members  of  the  Chaucer  Society  is 
in  this  edition  adopted  for  the  first  time. 

The  text  of  the  manuscript  owned  by  Lord 
Ellesmere  is  now  considered  better  than  any 
other  known,  and  much  superior  to  those  with¬ 
in  the  reach  of  editors  before  the  Chaucer  So¬ 
ciety  was  originated.  It  forms  the  body  of  the 
text  now  presented  to  lovers  of  the  great  poet. 

The  labors  of  an  editor  who  publishes  a  text 
of  an  author  whose  works  appeared  before  the 
invention  of  printing  differ  in  important  points 
from  those  of  one  who  prepares  an  edition  of 
any  publication  that  was  put  into  type  during 
its  writer’s  lifetime.  The  poems  of  our  poet, 
for  example,  cannot  be  printed  for  any  but 
special  students  in  exactly  the  form  in  which 
they  exist  in  the  manuscripts,  and  editors  have 
differed  essentially  in  the  rules  that  they  have 
followed  in  their  work.  Some,  like  John  Urry, 
have  made  multitudinous  arbitrary  emendations 
and  additions,  while  others  have  followed  the 
manuscripts  with  more  or  less  precision.  The 
following  are  among  the  reasons  for  this  diver¬ 
sity. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


V 


I.  The  manuscripts  are  not  punctuated.  It 
is  apparent  that  every  editor  is  obliged  to  fol¬ 
low  the  modern  rules  in  this  respect. 

II.  The  manuscripts  abound  in  contractions, 
which  must  of  necessity  be  extended.  A  stroke 
over  a  vowel  signified  that  it  was  followed  by 
m  or  n.  A  stroke  over  n  meant  that  it  stood 
for  ne,  nne,  un,  or  n.  A  curl  over  n  or  s  signi¬ 
fied  er ;  over  p  it  stood  for  re.  A  small,  un¬ 
dotted  i  above  the  line  meant  ri.  There  were 
signs  for  ra ,  ur,  par,  pro,  es,  is,  us,  com,  con,  and 
other  combinations  of  letters,  though  the  signs 
did  not  always  stand  for  the  same  combina¬ 
tion. 

III.  The  use  of  capital  letters  was  variable, 
and,  judged  by  modern  standards,  incorrect. 

IV.  The  alphabet  differed  in  some  respects 
from  that  now  used,  there  being  in  Old  English 
two  signs,  now  obsolete,  for  th,  and  another 
that  represented  the  sound  of  y,  g,  gh,  and 
sometimes  z.  In  process  of  time  one  of  the 
signs  for  th  fell  into  desuetude  ;  and  the  sign 
which  looked  like  a  modern  g,  and  stood  for  y, 
g,  gh,  and  z,  was  modified  in  its  form  until  it 
resembled  z.  The  manuscripts  are  not  uniform 
in  the  use  of  these  signs  ;  and  in  the  absence 
of  any  rule  or  custom  on  the  part  of  the 


VI 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


ancient  scribes,  it  only  confuses  the  general 
reader  if  their  irregular  example  is  followed. 
There  is  no  gain  in  printing  ayeyn  in  one  place 
and  ageyn  in  another  ;  nor  are  yaf  yeue,  yine, 
yate,  any  better  forms  than  gaf,  geve,  give,  gate, 
especially  when  we  know  that  ageyn  is  allied  to 
the  Old  English  ongean,  and  the  German  gegen, 
and  that  g  is  the  original  consonant  in  the 
other  words.  Y  was  a  distinct  letter. 

In  cases  where  this  sign  has  the  guttural 
sound  editors  are  obliged  to  use  gh,  or  h  (as 
thurgh,  thurfi),  and  when  it  stands  for  z  that 
letter  is  used  (as  marchauntz). 

V.  The  .use  of  ic  and  v  was  not  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  that  of  the  present  time.  The  for¬ 
mer  sign  had  both  the  modern  sounds. 

VI.  The  letter  j  was  almost  unknown,  its 
place  being  supplied  by  the  capital  I. 

In  the  use  of  ic  and  j,  the  customs  of  edi¬ 
tors  have  been  various.  In  the  texts  edited 
for  the  Clarendon  Press,  Mr.  Skeat  prints  lone, 
Iugement,  deuoir,  yeueth ,  haue  ;  and  Dr.  Morris, 
love,  jugeme?it,  devoir ,  yeveth,  have ,  —  putting  the 
y  in  yeveth  in  italics,  to  indicate  that  the  manu¬ 
script  had  the  sign  that  represents  the  sounds 
of  y,  g,  gh,  and  z.  (In  like  manner  Dr.  Morris 
prints  heifer,  nou^/zt,  ey^en,  for  it  would  be 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Vll 


misleading  to  use  y  in  these  and  similar  words, 
even  if  it  were  italicized.) 

The  use  of  i  for  j,  and  21  for  v,  was  not  dis¬ 
continued  until  the  present  century,  and  yet 
the  texts  of  Shakespeare  and  the  Bible  are 
printed  in  accordance  with  present  usage.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  poems  of  Spenser,  in  the 
series  to  which  the  present  volume  belongs. 

There  is  a  positive  loss  when  povre  —  Ital¬ 
ian  povero ,  French  pauvre — is  printed  in  an 
old  author  “poure,”  and  poverte — poverta, 
pauvrete  ■ —  is  printed  “  pouerte.”  This  is  true 
also  when  iape,  ioye,  iade,  iuge,  take  the  places 
of  jape,  joye,  jade,  juge.  On  the  contrary,  the 
poet  suffers  no  detriment  when  these  words  are 
presented  with  the  letters  which  make  the  im¬ 
pression  upon  nineteenth-century  readers  that 
the  other  ones  made  upon  readers  accustomed 
to  them  in  the  fourteenth  century. 

VII.  It  is  sometimes  almost  impossible  to 
decide  whether  a  letter  is  a  u  or  an  71  in  the 
manuscripts,  a  fact  that  accounts  for  the  two 
forms  Cambyuskan  and  Cambynscan  in  vari¬ 
ous  editions  of  the  Squire’s  Tale.  Tyrwhitt 
printed  the  word  Cambuscan,  but  Thynne 
(a.  d.  1599)  had  given  it  Cambiuscan,  which 
is  equivalent  to  Cambyuskan,  the  reading  of 
the  best  manuscript  now  known. 


Vlll 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


VIII.  If  a  manuscript  written  by  the  poet, 
or  under  his  direction,  could  be  found,  or  even 
one  produced  during  his  lifetime,  no  question 
regarding  spelling  could  well  be  raised.  In 
the  'absence  of  such  an  authority,  the  aim 
should  be  to  print  the  poet’s  words  in  an  or¬ 
thography  as  nearly  as  possible  according  with 
that  which  the  author  probably  adopted.  In 
times  anterior  to  the  invention  of  printing, 
there  was  no  regularity  in  the  spelling  of 
words.  The  greatest  variations  abounded,  the 
same  word  being  often  spelled  differently  on 
the  same  page,  or  in  the  same  line.  The  Old 
English  word  seah  is  written  sauh,  satigh ,  seigh, 
sigh ,  segh,  sihe ,  sauhe ,  sawh ,  sagh,  sy,  sie,  sey, 
say,  seygii ,  all  of  which  mean  saw.  This  is  but 
a  sample  of  the  habits  qf  the  scribes;  and  we 
have  also  moche ,  mokel ,  muchel, ,  mochel,  myche, 
mychel, ,  michel ,  and  many  like  irregularities.  In 
general,  it  may  be  said  that  Old  English  or¬ 
thography  was  intended  to  be  phonetic.  It  was 
not  until  several  centuries  had  passed  over 
Chaucer’s  grave  that  the  rigid  and  arbitrary 
conventionalities  of  the  modern  dictionary  ob¬ 
tained  their  controlling  power.  Any  conces¬ 
sion  to  modern  precision  would  misrepresent 
the  orthography  of  Chaucer,  and  none  is  at- 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


IX 


tempted  in  the  present  work.  The  Editor’s 
rule  has  been  to  follow  in  this  respect  the  usage 
of  the  scribe,  who  had  the  advantage  of  living 
at  least  four  centuries  nearer  the  time  of  the 
'author  that  he  represents. 

Care  has  been  taken  in  collating  the  manu¬ 
scripts,  though  it  has  been  considered  best  not 
to  burden  the  volume  with  the  various  read¬ 
ings. 

A  comparison  of  texts  that  were  not  availa¬ 
ble  by  Tyrwhitt  —  to  make  but  a  single  refer¬ 
ence  to  former  editors — has  shown  both  the 
wisdom  and  the  accuracy  of  the  scholarship 
that  he  displayed,  while  it  has  enabled  the 
present  Editor  to  perfect  many  lines  without 
offering  his  own  emendations. 

Mr.  Tyrwhitt  makes  a  note  to  line  759,  to 
say  that  he  has  ventured  to  lengthen  the  word 
“  amonges  ”  to  fulfill  the  requirements  of  the 
metre,  and  quotes  authorities  for  his  action, 
when  in  fact  he  unconsciously  adopts  the  read¬ 
ing  of  the  best  manuscript. 

Mr.  Tyrwhitt  amends  line  3811  by  introduc¬ 
ing  the  word  “  al  ”  before  “  aboute,”  a  change 
which  the  Ellesmere  manuscript  shows  that  the 
metre  does  not  demand. 

Line  4711  has  heretofore  appeared  hope- 


X 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


lessly  corrupted.  Mr.  Tyrwhitt  printed  it,  “  Or 
Uion  brent,  or  Thebes  the  citee,”  acknowled 
ing  that  he  could  make  little  sense  of  it. 
collation  of  the  Six  Texts  of  the  Chaucer  So¬ 
ciety  seems  to  make  it  clear  that  the  reading 
adopted  in  the  present  text  is  the  proper  one. 

At  line  5818  Mr.  Tyrwhitt  gave  “  kalender  ” 
instead  of  “  chilyndre,”  a  word  that  the  late 
investigations  show  is  the  one  used  by  Chau¬ 
cer. 

The  word  stoupen ,  bent,  given  by  Tyrwhitt,  at 
line  8433,  ^  is  now  shown  should  be  stape ,  ad¬ 
vanced.  The  same  verb  occurs  in  line  13,850, 
though  it  was  formerly  printed  stopen. 

Again,  at  line  11,256,  Mr.  Tyrwhitt  intro¬ 
duces  an  extra  syllable,  though  it  is  not 
needed. 

The  reader  who  is  curious  regarding  Tyr- 
whitt’s  judicious  treatment  of  the  text  will  be 
interested  to  compare  with  the  present  text 
certain  instances  in  which  he  made  emenda¬ 
tions.  He  will  find  that  the  latest  investma- 

o 

tions  sustain  that  editor  to  a  remarkable  ex¬ 
tent.  In  the  first  volume  of  the  Aldine  Chau¬ 
cer  Mr.  Skeat  quotes  (page  174)  ten  lines  which 
Tyrwhitt  emended,  namely,  lines  1510,  1516, 
*535>  i654,  1734,  1973,  2103,  2493,  2928,  and 


>  a? 


ADVERTISEMENT.  xi 

2996.  Of  these  changes  eight  are  supported 
by  the  Ellesmere  text,  and  the  remaining  two 
are  shown  to  have  been  unnecessary.  These 
are  lines  used  to  prove  that  Chaucer  intention¬ 
ally  made  the  first  foot  in  some  cases  consist 
of  a  single  syllable,  a  proposition  that  has  been 
denied.  Mr.  Lowell’s  emphatic  denial,  made 
in  “  My  Study  Windows  ”  (page  266),  is  sup¬ 
ported  by  these  lines.1 

It  might  be  further  proved  that  the  new 
manuscripts  clear  up  many  dark  passages,  and 
that  the  examination  of  the  originals  of  the 
tales  have  also  been  of  great  service  in  the 
same  direction. 

While  the  text  has  been  thus  scrupulously 
dealt  with,  the  rubrics  found  in  the  manuscripts 
have  also  been  printed,  so  far  as  practicable, 
though,  as  they  do  not  constitute  an  integral 
portion  of  the  poems,  they  have  in  some  cases 
been  disregarded,  or  new  ones,  more  in  keep¬ 
ing  with  the  true  meaning  of  the  text,  have 
been  introduced.  In  this  way  a  distinction  has 
been  made  between  the  prologues  and  pream¬ 
bles  of  the  Canterbury  Tales  and  the  conver¬ 
sational  links  by  which  the  continuity  of  the 

1  Mr.  Ellis  had  already  shown  ( E .  E.  Pronunciation ,  p.  333)  that 
line  1734  was  probably  corrupt  and  could  not  fall  into  the  category 
of  lines  deficient  in  the  first  foot. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


XI 1 

narrative  is  sustained,  and  it  is  believed  the 
reader  is  brought  more  completely  into  sympa¬ 
thy  with  the  action  of  the  poem. 

Another  aid  to  the  reader  will  be  found  in 
the  head-lines.  On  the  left-hand  page  is  the 
title  of  the  current  tale,  or  poem,  while  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  the  folio  is  indicated  at  the  top  of  the 
right-hand  page,  often  by  a  quotation  of  the 
poet’s  words. 

The  lines  of  the  Canterbury  Tales  are,  for 
convenient  reference,  numbered  from  begin¬ 
ning  to  end,  and  the  numberings  of  Tyrwhitt’s 
edition  are  given  in  parentheses  every  fiftieth 
line,  and  also  at  places  where  lines  are  omitted 
from  that  edition,  or  from  the  present  one. 
The  prose  story  of  Melibeus  and  the  Parson’s 
sermon  are  included  in  the  numbering,  every 
tenth  break  marked  in  the  Six-Text  edition 
being  indicated.  The  elaborate  system  of  the 
Six-Text  edition,  in  which  the  lines  are  num¬ 
bered  by  “  Groups,”  in  order  to  keep  before 
the  mind  the  fact  that  the  poem  is  incomplete, 
has  advantages  for  use  in  that  place,  but  is  less 
convenient  than  the  one  here  adopted.  The 
numbering  of  Mr.  Tyrwhitt  was  consecutive, 
but  did  not  include  the  prose,  to  which  exact 
reference  has  heretofore  been  difficult.  The 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


XIII 


Index  in  the  present  edition  will  facilitate  ref¬ 
erence  to  subjects  and  names. 

The  explanations  usually  relegated  to  a  Glos¬ 
sary,  or  to  a  body  of  final  Notes,  will  be  found 
at  the  foot  of  the  pages,  and  the  reader  will  be 
saved  the  trouble  of  searching  for  a  word  in  a 
long  list,  of  holding  in  his  hand  two  volumes 
at  once,  of  weighing  the  conflicting  definitions 
often  placed  opposite  the  same  word,  or  of 
identifying  a  particular  part  of  speech. 

Unqualified  thanks  are  due  from  the  Editor, 
and  from  all  who  are  interested  in  our  first 
great  English  poet,  to  those  scholars  already 
referred  to,  who  have  given  the  Chaucer  Soci¬ 
ety  its  high  position,  and  in  its  publications,  as 
well  as  in  their  own,  have  accomplished  so 
much  in  the  way  of  making  the  reading  of 
Chaucer  an  intelligent  pleasure.  They  have 
in  effect  added  a  new  poet  to  the  honorable 
list  of  English  makers,  for  they  have  made  him 
accessible  and  lucid  to  many  readers  who  had 
been  repelled  by  his  unwonted  appearance. 

Professor  Francis  J.  Child,  of  Harvard 
University,  by  his  lectures  on  Chaucer,  by  his 
Observations  on  the  Language  of  Chaucer  and 
Gower  published  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Academy,  and  by  his  efforts  in  behalf  of 


xiv  ADVERTISEMENT. 

the  Chaucer  Society,  has  largely  increased  the 
interest  in  our  poet  in  America.  Among  the 
other  scholars  who  should  be  mentioned  in 
this  connection  are  Professor  Corson,  of  Cor¬ 
nell  University,  who  published  an  edition  of 
the  “Legend  of  Good  Women”  before  the 
English  society  had  been  organized  ;  and  Pro¬ 
fessor  Lounsbury,  of  Yale  College,  who  has 
carefully  edited  a  text  of  the  “  Parlement  of 
Foules.” 

In  England,  besides  Mr.  Furnivall,  who  has 
edited  all  of  the  Chaucer  Society’s  publica¬ 
tions,  there  are  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  of  Cam¬ 
bridge,  who  has  published,  in  the  series  of  the 
Clarendon  Press,  two  volumes  containing  a  text 
of  several  of  the  Canterbury  Tales  with  elabo¬ 
rate  and  scholarly  notes,  besides  what  he  has 
done  elsewhere ;  and  the  Rev.  Richard  Morris, 
LL.  D.,  of  London,  who  has  carefully  edited 
the  General  Prologue  and  two  of  the  Canter¬ 
bury  Tales,  for  the  Clarendon  Press.  Many 
German  scholars  have  made  material  additions 
to  the  mass  of  Chaucerian  information,  their 
writings  bearing  the  marks  of  the  erudition  for 
which  the  students  of  that  nation  are  noted. 

In  the  work  of  discriminating  between  the 
true  productions  of  Chaucer  and  those  that 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


XV 


had  for  centuries  been  attributed  to  him,  the 
chief  credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Henry  Bradshaw, 
Fellow  of  King’s  College,  and  Librarian  of  the 
University  of  Cambridge.  Independent  re¬ 
searches,  made  by  Professor  Bernhard  ten 
Brink,  of  the  University  of  Strassburg,  had, 
however,  resulted  in  conclusions  that  did  not 
materially  vary  from  those  of  Mr.  Bradshaw.  A 
full  account  of  these  researches  may  be  found 
in  an  article  published  in  “  Macmillan’s  Maga¬ 
zine  ”  for  March,  1874,  entitled  “  Recent  Work 
at  Chaucer.” 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET.  By  the  Editor. 

I.  The  Outer  Life . xix 

II.  The  Social  Life . xxvi 

III.  The  Poet’s  Life . xxxii 

IV.  The  Poet’s  Works .  lvi 

V.  The  Poet’s  Genius . lxxxiv 

ON  READING  CHAUCER . xcii: 

ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS  AND  DIVISIONS  OF  TIME  cvi 

BIBLICAL  REFERENCES . cxxv 

THE  CANTERBURY  TALES. 

The  General  Prologue . 1 

Tales  of  the  First  Day. 

The  Knight’s  Tale  of  Palamon  and  Arcite.  First  Part  .  34 

Second  Part . 52 

Third  Part  . .  72 

Fourth  Part  .  .  94 

Words  between  the  Host  and  the  Miller  .  .  .  117 

The  Miller’s  Tale  of  the  Carpenter . 120 

The  Wrath  of  Oswald,  the  Reeve . 145 

The  Reeve’s  Tale  of  Symkin,  the  Miller  ....  147 
The  Words  of  the  Cook  and  the  Host  .  .  .  .163 

The  Cook’s  unfinished  Tale . 165 

Tales  of  the  Second  Day. 

Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Company  ....  167 

Prologue  of  the  Man  of  Law’s  Tale . 171 

The  Man  of  Law’s  Tale  of  Custance.  First  Part  .  .  173 

Second  Part . 182 

Third  Part . 201 

Words  of  the  Host,  the  Parson,  and  the  Shipman  .  .  212 

The  Shipman’s  Tale  of  the  Merchant  and  the  Monk  213 

Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Shipman  and  the  Prioress  .  229 
Prologue  of  the  Prioress’s  Tale  .  .  .  .  230 

The  Prioress’s  Tale  of  the  Christian  Child  slain  by  Jews  .  231 

b 


VOL.  I. 


XV111 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Words  of  the  Host  to  Chaucer  .... 

Chaucer’s  Tale  of  Sir  Thopas . 

The  Host  stinteth  Chaucer  .... 
Chaucer’s  Tale  of  Melibeus  and  his  Wife,  Prudence 
Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Monk 
The  Monk’s  Tale  of  Fallen  Great  Ones 
The  Knight  and  the  Host  complain  . 

The  Nun’s  Priest’s  Tale  of  the  Cock  and  the  Hen  . 
Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Nun’s  Priest 
Tales  of  the  Third  Day. 

The  Physician’s  Tale  of  Virginia  .... 
Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Physician  and  Pardoner 
Preamble  of  the  Pardoner’s  Tale  .  .  .  . 

The  Pardoner’s  Tale  of  the  Rioters 

Words  of  the  Pardoner,  Host,  and  Knight  . 

The  Preamble  of  the  Wife  of  Bath’s  Tale 
Words  between  the  Summoner  and  the  Friar 
The  Wife  of  Bath’s  Tale  of  Woman’s  Will  . 

Words  of  the  Friar  and  the  Summoner  . 

The  Friar’s  Tale  of  the  Summoner 
Words  of  the  Angry  Summoner  . 

The  Summoner’s  Tale  of  the  Bad  Friar  .  . 

Prologue  of  the  Clerk’s  Tale . 

The  Clerk’s  Tale  of  Patient  Griselde.  First  Part 

Second  Part . 

Third  Part . 

Fourth  Part . 

Fifth  Part . 

Sixth  Part . 

L’Envoy  de  Chaucer . 

Prologue  of  the  Merchant’s  Tale  .... 
The  Merchant’s  Tale  of  January  and  May  . 

Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Squire  .  .  . 


PAGE 

•  239 
240 

.  24S 
250 

•  324 

328 

•  357 
359 

•  3S2 


383 

393 

395 

400 

418 

420 

45° 

452 

467 

469 

484 

485 

508 

510 

5i5 

524 

53° 

537 

542 

55i 

553 

554 
598 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


I, 

The  Age  of  Beginnings,  which  gave  to  Eng¬ 
lish  letters  a  writer  whose  transcendent  genius 
surpassed  the  conceptions  of  all  previous  in¬ 
tellectual  toilers,  and  still  holds  rank,  second 
to  that  of  the  “  myriad-minded  ”  dramatist  be¬ 
fore  whom  every  European  writer  bows  as  to  a 
master,  is  worthy  to  be  studied  for  its  historic 
interest,  because  in  it  are  found  the  springs  of 
subsequent  progress.  The  sun  of  spiritual  and 
intellectual  enfranchisement  was  beginning  to 
appear  above  the  horizon,  and  the  darkness  of 
the  previous  ages  was  slowly  fading  before  its 
powerful  rays.  Every  people  seemed  to  be 
preparing  for  a  step  forward  which  should 
usher  in  an  unexperienced  life,  brilliant  by 
contrast  with  all  previous  eras,  and  already 
made  radiant  by  the  workings  of  an  imagina¬ 
tion  not  yet  delivered  from  the  bondage  of 
superstition. 


XX 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


In  Italy  the  great  Poet  of  the  Unseen  had 
but  lately  gone  behind  the  veil,1  and  Petrarch 
and  Boccaccio  were  inditing  verses  that  were 
to  make  them  ever  remembered.  Among  the 
English  the  credulous  Mandeville  was  pursuing 
those  voyages  of  discovery  by  which  he  is  now 
known  ;  the  author  of  “  The  Last  Age  ”  2  was 
predicting  the  end  of  all  things ;  the  Parson  of 
Lutterworth  was  preparing  his  version  of  the 
Bible,8  and  bringing  on  a  religious  reforma¬ 
tion  ;  the  Dreamer  on  the  Malvern  Hills  4  was 
giving  poetic  voice  to  the  moanings  of  the  mis¬ 
erable  laboring  classes  ;  while  the  king  was 
fighting  his  fruitless  wars  in  France,  the  Black 
Prince  was  winning  his  spurs  and  honorably 
wearing  them  ;  the  nobles  were  indulging  in 
the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  jousts  and  tour¬ 
neys  ;  and  the  Poet  of  the  Gentles  was  stand- 
ing  by,  eagerly  noticing  every  step  in  the  gay 
dance,  or  mingling  in  those  scenes  of  court  life 
and  courtiers’  work  which  it  W'as  soon  to  be  his 
to  satirize  and  send  down  to  the  ages  in  im¬ 
mortal  verse.  It  is  with  the  fourteenth  century 
that  we  have  to  do.  In  its  twenty-first  year 

1  Dante  died  in  the  autumn  of  1321. 

2  This  gloomy  production  was  long  attributed  to  Wiclif. 

3  Wiclif’s  version  was  finished  at  about  the  same  time  that  the 
General  Prologue  of  the  Canterbury  Tales  was  written. 

4  The  Vision  concerning  Piers  the  Plowman  was  issued  and  re¬ 
issued,  in  three  versions,  from  1362  to  1399. 


THE  OUTER  LIFE. 


XXI 


the  exiled  Dante  died  broken-hearted  at  Ra¬ 
venna,  leaving,  as  the  fruit  of  his  years  of  dis¬ 
tress,  an  immortal  epic  and  a  never-dying  fame 
that  his  native  Florence  eagerly  sought  to 
grasp  and  preserve.  A  score  of  years  later  the 
Easter  sun  gilded  the  laurel  crown  that  an  ad¬ 
miring  king  and  populace  solemnly  placed 
upon  the  brow  of  the  mourning  lover  of  Daura, 
as  he  stood  in  the  Capitol  at  the  imperial  city. 
The  same  fourteenth  century  witnessed  in  It¬ 
aly  a  revival  of  classical  learning  under  the  re¬ 
formed  Boccaccio,  who  became  a  public  inter¬ 
preter  of  Dante,  as  he  already  had  been  the 
first  to  make  known  anew  the  faithfulness  of  a 
Troilus,  the  fickleness  of  a  Cressida,  and  the 
unfailing  obedience  of  a  Griselda,  all  of  which 
characters  were  to  be  transplanted  into  our  lit¬ 
erature  by  the  poet  of  the  Canterbury  Pilgrim¬ 
age,  who,  indeed,  re-illumined  the  torch  of  his 
poetic  fervor  at  the  altars  of  Italian  genius. 

In  England  the  fourteenth  century  saw  the 
culmination  of  that  spirit  of  chivalry  which  in 
its  dry  records  on  the  pages  of  a  Froissart  is 
still  capable  of  filling  the  imagination  with  pict¬ 
ures  of  brilliant  tournaments  and  stately  royal 
progresses,  and  in  the  poet’s  verse  embalms 
forever  the  graces  of  fair  women  and  the  gentle 


XXI 1 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


deeds  of  strong  men,  who  in  a  rude  age  bat¬ 
tled  for  virtue  and  honor.  The  long  reign  of 
the  third  Edward  saw  all  this  magnificence  and 
kindliness,  but  as  it  wore  on  it  witnessed  a 
change.  Terrible  plagues  wasted  the  people  ; 
the  Hundred  Years’  War  made  great  taxes 
necessary,  and  these  pressed  heavily  upon  the 
hard-working  and  poorly  paid  laborers  on  the 
land  ;  the  king  who  had  won  cities  in  France 
lost  them  also  ;  his  chivalrous  son  went  before 
him  to  the  grave,  and  there  arose  a  young 
ruler  whose  accession  caused  the  Malvern 
Dreamer  to  add  to  his  popular  vision  the 
Scriptural  malediction,  — 

“  Woe  to  thee,  O  land,  when  thy  king  is  a  child, 

For  I  herde  my  sire  seyne,  is  sevene  yere  ypassed, 

There  the  catte  is  a  kitoun,  the  court  is  ful  elyng”  (sad). 

The  times  were  bad  when  the  traveled 
Mandeville  returned,  and  he  exclaimed,  “  In 
our  time  it  may  be  spoken  more  truly  than  of 
old,  that  virtue  is  gone,  the  Church  is  under 
foot,  the  clergy  is  in  error,  the  Devil  reigneth, 
and  Simony  beareth  sway.”  The  same  view 
of  the  state  of  affairs  was  taken  by  the  author 
of  “  The  Vision  of  Piers  the  Plowman.”  If 
the  conjecture  is  to  be  believed,  it  was  just  as 
the  candle  of  King  Edward  was  burning  in  its 


THE  OUTER  LIFE. 


XX  Ill 


socket  that  the  gay  and  courtly  Chaucer  turned 
to  the  example  of  the  last  of  the  ancients,  trans¬ 
lated  the  “  Consolations  of  Philosophy,”  and 
snatched  from  its  picture  of  the  bliss  of  the 
Former  Age  this  wail  over  the  misery  of  the 
present : — 

“  Alas,  alas,  now  may  men  wepe  and  crye, 

For  in  our  days  is  nought  but  covetyse, 
Doubleness,  tresoun,  and  envye, 

Poyson,  manslawtyr,  murder  in  sondry  wyse.” 

Both  in  Italy  and  in  England  a  period  of  bar¬ 
renness  ensued,  marked  in  one  country  by  the 
refinements  of  knowledge,  and  in  the  other  by 
the  quibbles  and  sophisms  of  an  ignorance 
that  aped  wisdom.  The  French  of  Stratford 
atte  Bow  in  Chaucer’s  time  was  neither  Eng¬ 
lish  nor  French,  but  twenty  years  later  even 
University  learning  had  grown  so  contempti¬ 
ble  that  “  Oxford  Latin  ”  became  a  proverbial 
expression  signifying  an  unmeaning  jargon. 
The  sciences  were  unknown,  of  course,  though 
the  heavens  were  methodically  set  off  into 
twelve  parts,  called  “houses,”  or  “mansions,” 
and  medicine  was  practiced  with  confidence, 
but  on  superstitious  and  empiric  principles, 
which  had  not  been  changed  since  the  Em¬ 
peror  Nero’s  physician  compounded  the  con- 


XXIV 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


fection  called,  from  him,  Theriaca  Andromachi , 
composed  of  the  dried  flesh  of  vipers  and 
scores  of  other  equally  valuable  ingredients. 
We  find  in  Chaucer  many  allusions  to  the 
heavenly  “  houses  ”  and  to  the  influence  of  the 
signs  upon  the  nature  and  welfare  of  men,  as 
well  as  to  the  “  treacle  ”  which  was  esteemed 
an  antidote  to  all  bodily  disease. 

In  the  fourteenth  century  the  three  classes 
of  society  were  always  clashing.  The  House 
of  Commons,  representing  the  middle  class, 
was  continually  impinging  upon  the  preroga¬ 
tives  of  the  Crown  and  the  ancient  aristoc¬ 
racy,  causing  the  great  charters  to  be  repeat¬ 
edly  confirmed  and  grievances  to  be  dimin¬ 
ished.  On  the  other  hand,  the  laboring  class, 
comprising  the  majority  of  the  population,  was 
•demanding  the  enactment  of  laws  like  the 
“  Statute  of  Laborers,”  of  1350,  and  those 
aimed  at  the  improvement  of  the  administra¬ 
tion  of  justice  and  the  establishment  of  trial 
by  jury. 

The  progress  of  Freedom  lies  often  through 
revolution;  and  the  reign  of  Richard  II.  pre¬ 
sents  a  constant  succession  of  social  upheavals 
which  ended  during  the  last  year  of  the  century 
in  the  “  renunciation  ”  of  the  crown  and  the 


THE  OUTER  LIFE. 


XXV 


elevation  of  Henry  Bolingbroke,  Duke  of  Lan¬ 
caster,  to  the  throne  as  King  Henry  IV. 

The  rebellion  of  1381  was  one  of  the  signs 
of  the  tinres.  It  resulted  from  a  tax  of  the 
previous  year,  and  began  with  the  murder  of 
the  royal  collector  (a  man  of  the  Commons 
who  represented  the  aristocracy  above  him)  by 
Wat  the  Tyler  (a  man  of  the  laboring  order), 
and  it  did  not  end  until  all  Essex  and  Kent 
and  Suffolk  and  Norfolk  had  been  involved  in 
the  wildest  confusion,  their  palaces  sacked, 
their  towns  besieged,  their  prisons  destroyed, 
their  hospitals  burned,  and  their  aristocracy 
massacred  in  large  numbers.  The  end  came, 
and  it  was  followed  by  the  legal  execution  of 
hundreds  of  those  who  had  vainly  risen  to 
gain  the  freedom  which,  since  the  hour  when 
the  yeomen  of  England  won  the  victory  of 
Cressy,  it  had  been  the  dream  of  their  children 
one  day  to  secure.  Thus  ended  the  reign  of 
Richard  II.,  in  the  overthrow  of  a  tyrant  by  the 
agreement  of  the  three  classes  of  society,  hav¬ 
ing  generally  different  interests,  but  now  united 
for  the  maintenance  of  freedom.  It  is  not  ours 
to  inquire  minutely  into  the  measures  by  which 
one  sovereign  was  placed  at  the  mercy  of  his 
ambitious  successor,  nor  to  ask  how  far  society 


XXVI 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


was  benefited  by  the  change  that  was  thus 
brought  about.  Our  simple  purpose  is  to  note 
that  there  was  a  change  which  put  upon  the 
throne  a  grandson  of  Edward  III.,  and  son  of 
John  of  Gaunt,  the  friend  of  the  poet  Chaucer. 

As  we  close  our  historical  survey  there  reach 
our  ears  hoarse  murmurs  of  discontent  from 
the  Marches  of  Wales,  where  the  “  irregular 
and  wild  Glendower  ”  is  doing' such  deeds 

“  As  may  not  be, 

Without  much  shame,  re-told  or  spoken  of ;  ” 

and  from  the  North  comes  “more  uneven  and 
unwelcome  news,”  for  Harry  Percy  and  the 
Earl  of  Northumberland  are  leading  their 
forces  to  victory  on  the  field  of  Holmedon  ; 
and  we  close  the  book  as  the  Te  Dewn  of  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  sounds  above  the 
popular  clamor,  while  he  goes  forth  to  meet 
the  procession  bearing  the  heads  of  King  Rich¬ 
ard’s  personal  attendants,  over  whose  destruc¬ 
tion  he  chants  his  barbarous  exultations. 

II. 

With  comparative  ease  the  panorama  of  pub¬ 
lic  events  can  be  made  vivid,  even  after  centu¬ 
ries  have  spread  their  mists  over  the  scenes, 


THE  SOCIAL  LIFE. 


XXV11 


but  the  case  is  quite  otherwise  when  we  essay 
to  penetrate  further  and  bring  out  the  inner 
life  of  the  fourteenth  century. 

It  was  a  time  of  chivalry  and  magnificence 
at  the  beginning  ;  but  before  it  ended  feudal¬ 
ism  was  decaying  and  tottering  to  its  fall.  In 
the  reign  of  Edward  III.  the  hierarchy  was  at 
the  height  of  its  grandeur  :  cathedrals  were  go¬ 
ing  up  in  Lincoln  and  Wells  and  Peterborough 
and  Salisbury;  churches  were  supplied  every¬ 
where  ;  William  of  Wykeham  was  doing  his 
great  work  at  Winchester;  the  church  at  West¬ 
minster  received  extensive  additions ;  and  fri¬ 
ars  and  other  churchmen  greatly  increased  in 
power.  It  was  at  about  1380, 1  however,  that 
John  Wiclif  inaugurated  his  reforming  work, 
and  after  that  his  tracts,  and  the  poor  preach¬ 
ers  who  carried  them,  circulated  through  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land ;  the  people 
saw  that  the  Church  was  grasping,  and  that 
those  who  should  be  the  promoters  of  purity 
and  humility  were  often  as  corrupt  and  as 
proud  as  they  appear  on  the  pages  of  Piers 
the  Plowman  and  of  Chaucer.  The  doctrines 
of  Wiclif  became  popular,  and  the  Lollards, 
his  followers,  grew  rapidly  in  numbers.  The 

1  This  date  is  not  established  beyond  doubt.  See  Professor  Lech- 
ler’s  Life  of  Wiclif. 


XXV111  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

masses  had  been  dormant  under  the  preaching 
of  the  parish  priests,  but  they  awoke  at  the 
call  of  the  “  poor  parson  of  a  town.” 

If  there  was  spiritual  corruption  under  the 
magnificence  of  the  hierarchy,  there  was  no  less 
truly  personal  uncleanness  beneath  the  liver¬ 
ies  of  the  servants,  the  robes  of  the  squires,  and 
the  glittering  costumes  of  the  higher  orders. 
Conveniences  were  few,  and  soap  appears  to 
have  been  used  for  washing  clothes  only,  though 
the  garments  of  the  poorer  classes  were  seldom 
submitted  to  the  process.  Mr.  Furnivall  gives 
an  interesting  quotation  that  speaks  volumes 
of  the  state  of  affairs  before  the  introduction  of 
India-rubber  “  atomizers,”  when  it  had  not  yet 
become  popular  to  apply  soap  to  the  person. 
It  is  to  the  effect  that  when  Cardinal  Wolsey 
went  to  Westminster  Hall,  he  had  a  custom 
of  “  holding  in  his  hand  a  very  fair  orange, 
whereof  the  meat  or  substance  within  was 
taken  out,  and  filled  up  again  with  the  part  of 
a  sponge,  wherein  was  vinegar  and  other  con¬ 
fections  against  the  pestilent  airs  ;  the  which 
he  most  commonly  smelt  unto,  passing  among 
the  press,  or  else  when  he  wras  pestered  with 
many  suitors.”  The  use  of  perfumes  to  coun¬ 
teract  the  effects  of.  a  want  of  personal  neat- 


THE  SOCIAL  LIFE. 


XXIX 


ness  seems  to  be  a  relic  of  such  times  as  this. 
A  vivid  illustration  is  found  in  the  picture 
drawn  by  Hotspur,  when  describing  the  certain 
lord,  “  perfumed  like  a  milliner,”  who  so  irri¬ 
tated  him  on  the  field  of  Holmedon.  The  pas¬ 
sage  is  too  long  for  quotation.1  The  rich  were 
by  no  means  neat,  and  the  poor  were  dirty  in¬ 
deed.  Erasmus  ascribed  the  plague  and  other 
diseases  in  England  to  the  uncleanness  of  the 
ways,  and  the  almost  inconceivable  foulness  of 
the  houses,  in  which  much  refuse  might  easily 
accumulate  beneath  the  rushes  that  served  in 
place  of  carpets.  In  the  household  of  Henry 
VIII.,  in  the  next  century,  even,  there  was  dis¬ 
graceful  filth,  such  as  we  can  scarcely  imagine 
without  the  official  records.2  People  had  small 
stocks  of  linen  and  of  other  garments  ;  many 
worked  and  slept  in  the  same  clothes,  if,  indeed, 
they  were  not  completely  denuded  at  night. 

Classes  were  distinguished  by  their  apparel 
more  than  by  manners  or  bearing  ;  and  sump¬ 
tuary  laws  strictly  regulated  many  things  which 
we  feel  are  beyond  the  domain  of  state  inter- 

1  See  i  King  Henry  IV .,  act  i.,  sc.  3, 1.  29.  Cl.  also  Much  Ado , 
act  i.,  sc.  3,  1.  52,  and  the  notes  on  the  word  “perfumer,”  by  Rolfe 
and  by  the  editor  of  the  “  Howard  ”  Shakespeare. 

2  For  the  above,  and  many  other  interesting  illustrations  of  me- 
dijeval  life,  see  Early  English  Meals  and  Manners ,  edited  by  Mr. 
F.  J.  Furnivall,  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society. 


XXX 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


ference.  During  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  there 
grew  up  a  remarkable  degree  of  luxury  and  dis¬ 
play  among  the  lower  orders,  which  was  re¬ 
strained  by  a  law,  passed  in  1363,  to  put  down 
“  the  outragious  and  excessive  apparel  of  di¬ 
vers  people  against  their  estate  and  degree,  to 
the  great  destruction  and  impoverishment  of 
all  the  land.” 

The  ordinary  diet  of  the  people  was  not  of 
the  best,  nor  is  it  probable  that  it  was  well 
cooked.  Much  salted  meat  was  used,  for  the 
markets  were  uncertain  and  poor.  The  houses 
were  inconvenient,  often  they  had  no  chim¬ 
neys  or  glazed  windows,  and  there  was  no  pro¬ 
vision  for  the  privacy  that  is  so  helpful  to  good 
manners  and  morals.  Men  and  women  lived 
much  apart  from  each  other,  and  the  church 
encouraged  the  tendency  in  this  direction. 
There  was  less  conventional  or  constructional 
morality,  and  many  acts  now  private  were  then 
of  necessity  open  and  public.  This  fact  led  to 
there  being  less  “  refinement  ”  of  thought  and 
behavior,  and  it  explains  much  that  we  find 
recorded  concerning  the  doings  of  men  and 
women  of  the  period. 

Not  having  attractive  houses,  the  people 
loved  the  open  air,  the  fields,  the  flowers,  the 


THE  SOCIAL  LIFE. 


XXXI 


groves;  and  they  there  engaged  in  that  gay 
and  spontaneous  dancing  that  is  healthy  ;  there 
they  practiced  archery,  went  a-Maying  and 
hawking;  there  they  told  stories,  and  baited 
their  bulls  and  their  bears  ;  there  they  had  the 
tournaments  and  jousts  of  the  formality  of 
which  all  their  literature  tells  us  so  much. 
There,  too,  they  settled  questions  of  right  or 
wrong,  truth  or  falsehood,  by  the  ordeal  of  bat¬ 
tle,  in  the  manner  proposed  by  Mowbray  and 
Bolingbroke,  in  Shakespeare’s  “  King  Richard 
II.” 

Chaucer,  though  the  poet  of  the  “gentles,”  as 
distinguished  from  the  low-born  masses  whom 
the  author  of  “  Piers  Plowman  ”  describes,  gives 
us  no  pictures  in  life  higher  than  that  of  the 
Knight.  From  other  sources  it  is  plain  that 
the  comforts  and  conveniences  of  life  were 
many  of  them  unknown  to  royalty.  Queen 
Elizabeth  was  the  first  sovereign  to  use  a  fork, 
and  hers  was  a  poor  one,  compared  with  those 
now  found  on  the  tables  of  farmers  and  arti¬ 
sans  in  Australia  and  on  American  prairies. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  romance,  much 
lofty  talk  about  ridiculous  refinements  in  love, 
and  long  arguments  in  the  courts  of  Cupid,  but 
there  were  few  comforts  and  not  many  of  those 


XXX11  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


delicate  social  and  personal  luxuries  which  five 
centuries  have  since  developed. 

III. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  if  Chaucer  had  had 
the  opportunity  to  read  the  sketches  of  his  life 
which  have  been  written  with  minuteness  dur¬ 
ing  the  past  three  hundred  years  he  would 
have  warned  readers  against  them.  He  lived 
at  an  age  when  the  importance  of  the  individ¬ 
ual  was  not  appreciated  so  highly  by  historians 
as  it  has  since  been.  In  the  fourteenth  cent¬ 
ury  history  was  chronicles  of  the  doings  of 
monarchs,  generals,  and  armies, — of  the  dis¬ 
ruptive,  not  the  conservative,  elements  of  soci¬ 
ety.  It  is  not  surprising  that  materials  for  a 
life  of  Chaucer  have  been  scarce,  nor  that  dil¬ 
igent  students  have  gathered  up  every  frag¬ 
ment  and  have  woven  and  re-woven  them  into 
“lives”  which  may  have  borne  some  resem¬ 
blance  to  that  which  men  imagined  their  hero 
to  have  lived,  but  were  in  reality  crowded  with 
incidents  and  marked  by  characteristics  that 
Chaucer  would  not  have  recognized.  Some 
of  these  have  been  founded  upon  passages  in 
his  writings  supposed  to  be  autobiographic  in 
their  nature,  and  others  upon  compositions 


the  poet’s  life.  xxxiii 

wrongly  attributed  to  him,  which,  of  course, 
are  of  no  value  whatever.  Few  as  are  the  rec¬ 
ords  of  Chaucer’s  life,  we  have  more  facts  re¬ 
garding  him  than  are  to  be  positively  asserted 
of  Shakespeare,  though  this  is  owing,  not  to 
his  having  been  the  greatest  poet  of  his  age, 
but  to  his  official  connection  with  the  court. 

The  year  of  Chaucer’s  birth  is  now  supposed 
to  be  1340,  and,  if  the  conjecture  be  correct, 
he  came  into  the  world  at  the  turn  in  the  tide 
of  British  affairs,  when  the  naval  victory  off 
Sluys  had  begun  to  revive  English  hearts, 
made  heavy  by  King  Edward’s  unsuccessful 
march  into  France,  afid  out  of  it,  the  previ¬ 
ous  year.  He  was  the  son  of  John  Chaucer, 
citizen  and  vintner  of  London,  who  lived  on 
Thames  Street,  and  his  mother  was  probably 
named  Agnes.  His  grandfather  was  Richard 
Chaucer,  likewise  citizen  and  vintner  of  Lon¬ 
don,  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  the  poet 
himself  was  born  and  bred  in  the  city  which 
has  since  given  the  world  Spenser,  Ben  Jonson, 
and  Milton,  and  which  became  the  place  where 
the  genius  of  Shakespeare  was  developed  and 
made  the  inheritance  of  the  world. 

For  twenty  years  success  crowned  the  efforts 
of  British  arms,  and  the  praise  of  military  glory 

vol.  1.  c 


XXxiv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

was  on  every  courtly  tongue.  It  is  evident 
that  at  this  time  young  Chaucer  was  storing 
his  mind  and  adding  to  the  wealth  of  his  im¬ 
agination,  but  in  what  way  he  acquired  the 
complete  education  that  his  attainments  in 
science  and  general  literature  prove  him  to 
have  had,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  for  until  re¬ 
cently,  nothing  whatever  has  been  known  of 
his  earlier  years.  His  father’s  calling  did  not 
stand  in  the  way  of  his  progress,  —  in  fact  it 
probably  brought  him  into  contact  with  many 
phases  of  life  that  he  was  destined  afterwards 
to  portray,  and  besides,  we  know  that  Sir 
Henry  Picard,  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London, 
was  also  a  vintner,  and  Chaucer  began  to  ap¬ 
pear  in  court  circles  too  early  for  us  to  suppose 
that  he  was  held  back  by  anything.  We  are 
to  think  of  him  hearing  as  a  child  of  the  new 
and  dreadful  instruments  of  destructive  war¬ 
fare  which  at  Cressy  first  vomited  fire  and  shot 
against  a  devoted  enemy.  Ten  years  later  his 
young  blood  was  thrilled  by  the  stories  that 
reached  England  from  the  field  of  Poictiers, 
and  we  are  at  liberty  to  suppose  that  amid 
such  scenes  of  magnificence  and  pageantry  as 
that  he  had  witnessed  in  May,  1358,  when  the 
Black  Prince  rode  through  London  with  his 


THE  POET’S  LIFE.  XXXV 

prisoner,  King  John  of  France,  he  was  infatu¬ 
ated  with  a  longing  to  go  with  his  elders  to  the 
field  of  glory,  —  to  that  France  whose  ladies 
and  romaunts  were  already  familiar  to  his 
young  imagination. 

If  there  was  not  another  Geoffrey  Chaucer 
then  living,  it  was  the  future  poet  who  entered 
the  service  of  Prince  Lionel,  third  son  of  Ed¬ 
ward  III.,  apparently  as  page,  in  1357.  It  is 
more  than  probahle  that  he  was  present  at  the 
great  Feast  of  St.  George,  given  by  the  king 
to  the  king  of  France,  the  queen  of  Scotland, 
the  king  of  Cyprus,  and  other  royal  persons 
who  were  in  England  in  1358,  as  well  as  at 
other  famous  joustings  and  pageants  of  the 
time.  It  is  certain,  however,  and  we  have  the 
poet’s  own  word  for  it,  that  his  military  expe¬ 
rience  began  in  1359,  when  he  joined  Edward 
III.’s  army  late  in  the  year,  as  it  went  to  in¬ 
vade  France.  This  expedition  was  inconse¬ 
quent  and  was  brought  to  an  end  by  the  Great 
Peace,  which  famine  and  fatigue  forced  the 
king  to  effect  at  Bretigny  the  next  year.  Dur¬ 
ing  this  campaign  Chaucer  was  made  prisoner, 
but  he  was  ransomed  March  1,  1360,  before 
the  peace,  the  king  himself  contributing  sixteen 
pounds  towards  that  end. 


XXXvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

At  this  time  France  was  suffering  from  the 
Jacquerie  horrors  too  awful  to  be  detailed,  and 
contending  factions  were  fast  dragging  the 
nation  to  anarchy,  but  England  was  enjoying 
a  period  of  prosperity.  What  our  poet  was 
doing  cannot  be  stated,  for  no  record  tells  us 
anything  of  his  movements  for  seven  years 
after  his  ransom  from  captivity.  It  seems 
probable  that  during  this  period  he  began  his 
career  of  authorship,  and  it  is  a  noteworthy 
coincidence  that  it  was  in  the  year  1362  that 
the  English  language  was  ordered  to  be  used 
in  English  courts,  for  the  reason  that  French 
had  become  “  much  unknown.”  French  had 
come  into  use  when  the  triumphing  Normans 
wrested  the  throne  from  its  Saxon  possessor, 
and  it  went  out  when  the  French  sovereign 
was  a  captive  in  England,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
Edward  might  succeed  in  enforcing  his  claim 
to  the  throne  of  France.  The  hour  had  arrived 
for  the  fusion  of  the  discordant  elements  of 
English  speech  into  a  flexible,  forcible,  and 
elegant  medium  for  the  transmission  of  the 
creations  of  genius  ;  and  the  man  who  was  to  do 
the  work  was  waiting  for  the  moment  to  arrive 
when  he  might  show  himself  to  the  people  and 
give  a  reason  why  he  had  been  saved  from 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


XXXVII 


death  in  “  the  imminent,  deadly  breach,”  and 
ransomed  from  languishing  in  a  French  dun¬ 
geon. 

In  1367  the  name  of  the  poet  appears  again 
in  the  records  as  that  of  one  of  the  valets  of 
the  king’s  household,  “  a  position,”  says  Sir 
Harris  Nicolas,  “  always  filled  by  gentlemen,” 
and,  on  the  20th  of  June  of  that  year,  he  was 
granted  an  annual  salary  of  twenty  marks  for 
life,  or  until  he  should  be  otherwise  provided 
for.  He  received  this  pension  at  various  dates 

!367>  r368>  l3&9,  i37°i  x37b  and  1372, 
when  he  was  assigned  more  important  duties. 
To  this  period  is  referred  his  marriage  to  Phi¬ 
lippa,  one  of  the  ladies  in  attendance  on  the 
queen,  and  Sir  Harris  Nicolas,  the  poet’s 
careful  biographer,  says  that  there  is  scarcely 
a  doubt  that  she  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Sir 
Payne  Roet,  and  sister  of  Katherine,  widow  of 
Sir  Hugh  Swinford,  who  subsequently  became 
wife  of  John  of  Gaunt,  Duke  of  Lancaster. 
The  assertion  rests,  however,  upon  proof  that 
we  cannot  accept  as  final  until  it  has  been 
proved  that  the  Thomas  Chaucer  who  used 
the  Roet  arms  was  actually  a  son  of  the  poet. 
There  are  reasons  also  for  thinking  it  improb¬ 
able  that  Chaucer  was  related  to  John  of 


XXXV111  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

Gaunt  in  this  way.1  This  is  also  the  date  as¬ 
signed  to  Chaucer’s  “hopeless  love,”  a  mal¬ 
ady  attributed  to  him  very  lately  on  account  of 
the  following  lines  in  the  “  Dethe  of  Blaunche 
the  Duchesse  :  ”  — 

“  Trewly,  as  I  gesse, 

I  hold  it  be  a  sickenes 

That  I  have  suffred  this  eight  yeere, 

And  yet  my  boote  is  never  the  nere  ; 

For  there  is  phisicien  but  one 
That  may  me  heale  ;  but  that  is  done. 

Passe  we  over  untill  efte  ; 

That  will  not  be,  mote  nedes  be  lefte.” 

It  is  not,  however,  always  safe  to  read  bi¬ 
ography  in  a  poet’s  verse.  We  do  not  know 
from  other  sources  that  Chaucer  actually  suf¬ 
fered  the  pains  he  here  describes,  and  if  he 
did,  the  distressing  anguish  caused  by  one  lady 
was  pretty  soon  removed  by  the  fair  Philippa, 
if  her  marriage  occurred  at  this  time.2 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  new  and  most  in¬ 
teresting  period  in  Chaucer’s  life,  during  which 
he  was  charged  with  important  public  business 
in  foreign  parts,  which  gave  him  opportunities 

1  This  subject  is  discussed  at  length  by  Sir  Harris  Nicolas  in  his 

Life  of  Chaucer.  See  the  Aldine  edition  of  Chaucer  (1869),  pages 
44-50-  .  ....... 

2  For  an  interesting  discussion  of  this  point,  see  the  Atlantic 
Monthly  for  November,  1877,  article,  “  Fictitious  Lives  of  Chaucer;  ” 
and  for  May,  1878,  Letter  from  Mr.  F.  J.  Furnivall. 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


XXX IX 


for  culture,  added  to  his  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  made  him  acquainted  with  men  and 
letters  on  the  Continent,  and  opened  more  fully 
to  him  the  wealth  of  Italian  and  perhaps  of 
classical  literature.  We  may  suppose  that  he 
was  well  acquainted  with  the  style  and  works 
of  French  writers,  and  that  now  he  widened 
his  knowledge  until  it  embraced  all  European 
literature.  For  ten  years,  from  1370  to  1380, 
he  was  much  of  the  time  engaged  in  the  king’s 
service  abroad.  His  first  mission  took  him 
away  from  England  during  the  summer  of  1370. 
In  1372  he  was  sent  with  two  others  to  treat 
with  the  duke,  citizens,  and  merchants  of 
Genoa,  for  the  establishment  of  commercial 
relations  between  their  city  and  England.  We 
know  but  little  of  the  mission,  further  than 
this,  that  the  poet  was  absent  less  than  a  year, 
went  to  Florence  as  well  as  Genoa,  and  was 
paid  ninety-two  pounds  for  his  expenses  on  the 
journey. 

The  chief  interest  that  attaches  to  this  visit 
of  Chaucer  to  Italy  arises  from  the  following 
words  in  the  conversation  between  the  Host 
and  the  Clerk,  on  the  Canterbury  pilgrimage, 
before  the  story  of  Patient  Griselda  was  told  :  — 


xl  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

“  I  wol  vow  telle  a  tale  which  that  I 
Lerned  at  Padwe  of  a  worthy  clerk, 

As  preved  by  his  wordes  and  his  werk ; 

He  is  now  deed  and  nayled  in  his  cheste, 

I  prey  to  God  so  geve  his  soule  reste  ! 
Fraunceys  Petrak,  the  lauriat  poete, 

Highte  this  clerk  whos  rethorike  sweete 
Enlumyned  al  Ytaille  of  poetrie.” 

It  is  natural  and  probable  that  an  interview 
should  have  taken  place  between  the  rising 
poet  of  England  and  the  aged  Petrarch,  then 
near  the  end  of  his  life,  who  was  at  the  time  at 
Arqua,  two  miles  from  Padua,  but  actual  proof 
of  it  is  still  wanting,  after  the  most  careful 
search. 

It  is  evident  that  Chaucer’s  commission  -on 
this  occasion  was  performed  to  his  sovereign’s 
satisfaction,  for  he  was  made  the  recipient  of 
several  royal  grants.  In  April,  1374,  probably 
on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  the  Feast 
of  St.  George  at  Windsor,  a  pitcher  of  wine 
was  assigned  him  to  be  received  daily  in  the 
port  of  London  from  the  hands  of  the  king’s 
butler.  In  May  the  Corporation  of  London 
gave  him  a  lease  for  life  of  the  dwelling  above 
the  gate  at  Aldgate,  with  the  rooms  built  over 
and  the  cellar  beneath  ;  and  in  June  he  was 
appointed  Comptroller  of  the  customs  and  sub 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


xli 


sidies  of  wools,  skins,  and  tanned  hides,  in  the 
port  of  London,  with  the  usual  fees ;  it  being 
expressly  stipulated  that  he  was  to  write  the 
rolls  with  his  own  hands,  be  continually  pres¬ 
ent,  and  perform  the  duties  personally,  and  not 
by  deputy,  as  a  poet  might  well  like  to  perform 
them.1 

The  first  mention  of  Chaucer’s  wife  occurs 
in  connection  with  a  pension  of  ten  pounds, 
given  her  for  life  by  John  of  Gaunt,  before 
August,  1372,  in  consideration  of  the  good 
service  which  Geoffrey  and  Philippa  had  ren¬ 
dered  to  the  fluke,  his  wife,  and  the  queen  his 
mother.  It  is  possible  that  this  is  the  same 
Philippa  Chaucer  who  had  been  in  waiting  on 
Queen  Philippa  in  1366,  and  was  then  granted 
a  pension  of  ten  marks  yearly  for  life,  for  she 
apparently  received  it  subsequently  by  the  hand 
of  her  husband,  Geoffrey  Chaucer.  She  may, 


1  In  his  Prologue  to  The  Earthly  Paradise ,  William  Morris  thus 
poetically  refers  to  this  period  in  our  poet’s  life :  — 

“Dream  of  London  small  and  white  and  clean, 

The  dear  Thames  bordered  by  its  gardens  green; 

Think,  that  below  the  bridge  the  green  lapping  waves 
Smite  some  few  keels  that  bear  Levantine  staves, 

Cut  from  the  yew  wood  on  the  burnt-up  hill, 

And  pointed  jars  that  Greek  hands  toiled  to  fill, 

And  treasured  scanty  spice  from  some  far  sea, 

Florence  gold  cloth,  and  Ypres  napery, 

And  cloth  of  Bruges,  and  hogsheads  of  Gnienne ; 

While  nigh  the  thronged  wharf  Geoffrey  Chaucer’s  pen 
Moves  over  bills  of  lading,  —  ’mid  such  times 
Shall  dw’ell  the  hollow  puppets  of  my  rhymes.” 


xlii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

however,  have  been  a  relative,  whom  the  poet 
married,  say  in  1374.  Chaucer  had  now  been 
an  Esquire  for  some  years. 

His  income  was  now  constantly  increasing. 
In  1375  it  was  augmented  by  his  appointment 
as  custodian  of  the  estate  of  a  minor,  Edward 
Staplegate,  of  Kent,  from  which  he  had  re¬ 
ceived  one  hundred  and  four  pounds  two  years 
later  ;  and  by  a  grant  of  the  custody  of  certain 
lands  belonging  to  another  minor,  also  in 
Kent.  In  July,  1376,  he  received  seventy-one 
pounds,  four  shillings,  and  six  pence,  for  wool, 
forfeited  for  non-payment  of  duties. 

The  same  year  he  was  sent  on  some  secret 
service  with  Sir  John  Burley,  and  early  in  the 
next  year  he  was  employed  on  a  similar  serv¬ 
ice  in  Flanders  with  Sir  Thomas  Percy,  after¬ 
wards  Earl  of  Worcester ;  and  in  the  spring  of 
1377  he  was  again  absent  from  the  country  in 
the  performance  of  confidential  duties.  It  is 
probable  that  he  was  not  in  England  in  June, 
when  King  Edward  died,  for  his  wages  for  the 
last  commission  were  not  paid  until  August 
30th  of  that  year. 

Under  the  new  sovereign  Chaucer  was  still 
favored,  and  in  January,  1378,  he  appears  to 
have  been  associated  with  the  Earl  of  Hunting- 


THE  POET'S  LIFE. 


xliii 


don  and  others  in  a  mission  to  France,  to  ne¬ 
gotiate  for  a  marriage  between  Richard  II. 
and  a  daughter  of  the  French.king.  At  least, 
he  was  paid  for  going  to  France  that  year  with 
that  object.  In  the  following  March,  Chaucer 
was  sent  to  Lombardy  with  Sir  Edward  Berke¬ 
ley,  to  treat  with  Bernardo  Visconti,  lord  of  Mi¬ 
lan  (“of  Melan,  grete  Barnabo  Viscounte  ”  J). 
Before  leaving  England  on  this  occasion,  he 
appointed  John  Gower  to  be  one  of  his  repre¬ 
sentatives  in  court,  in  case  any  legal  business 
should  need  attention  during  his  absence.  It 
is  presumed  that  this  was  the  poet  of  the  name, 
and  if  that  be  so,  the  circumstance  indicates 
an  intimate  friendship  between  Gower  and  his 
greater  contemporary,  which  is  also  supported 
by  the  fact  that  Chaucer  dedicated  his  “  Troy- 
lus  and  Cryseyde  ”  to  Gower  ;  and  that,  in  his 
“  Confessio  Amantis,”  Gower  inserted  verses 
complimentary  to  Chaucer.  It  is  hardly  worth 
while  to  discuss  the  duration  of  this  friendship, 
which,  it  seems  probable,  lasted  until  death 
closed  it,  though  Tyrwhitt  thought  it  was  broken 
off  earlier. 

\ 

Returning  from  Italy  in  the  early  part  of 
I3 79,  Chaucer  received  moneys  on  account  of 


1  See  Canterbicry  Tales ,  1.  8on. 


xliv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

his  old  grants,  and  of  a  new  one  lately  made 
by  Richard  II.,  in  February,  May,  and  Decem¬ 
ber,  though  he  may  have  been  abroad  again 
during  a  portion  of  the  time,  for  the  payment 
in  May  was  not  made  to  him  in  person.  Other 
sums  were  paid  to  him  in  July  and  November, 
1380,  and  March,  1381,  the  last  being  twenty- 
two  pounds,  on  account  of  his  mission  to 
France  in  1377.  In  May,  1382,  he  was  given 
the  additional  office  of  Comptroller  of  Petty 
Customs  in  the  port  of  London,  with  permis¬ 
sion  to  perform  the  duties  by  a  deputy,  a  per¬ 
manent  officer  of  this  kind  being  allowed  him 
in  February,  1385.  He  was  thus  placed  in  easy 
circumstances,  and  had  ample  leisure  to  en¬ 
gage  in  the  occupation  which  has  made  him 
known  ;  and  thus  ends  the  second  period  in 
his  life. 

In  1386  Chaucer  was  elected  one  of  the 
knights  of  the  shire  for  Kent,  to  sit  in  the  par¬ 
liament  holden  at  Westminster  from  October 
1st  to  November  1st,  of  that  year.  Its  proceed¬ 
ings  were  all  directed  against  the  ministers  of 
the  party  at  the  head  of  which  was  John  of 
Gaunt,  Chaucer’s  patron,  at  the  time  absent 
from  the  country,  asserting  his  claim  to  the 
crown  of  Castile,  the  Duke  of  Gloucester  being 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


xlv 


at  the  head  of  the  government.  It  is  needless 
for  us  to  go  into  details  of  public  affairs  at  this 
juncture,  and,  indeed,  the  most  painstaking 
historians  find  themselves  unable  to  ravel  the 
confused  threads  involved  in  the  family  quar¬ 
rels  with  which  England  was  now  cursed. 

We  know  that  by  the  end  of  1386  Chaucer 
had  lost  both  of  his  public  offices,  and  had 
been  plunged  from  affluence  into  poverty.  It 
is  probable  that  his  wife  died  at  about  the  same 
time,  for  her  name  is  not  mentioned  on  the 
records  after  June,  1387.  To  this  period  be¬ 
long  certain  supposititious  events  in  the  poet’s 
life  that  have  been  founded  upon  passages  in 
the  “  Testament  of  Love,”  a  composition  that 
was  long  ascribed  to  him,  such  as  his  having 
taken  part  in  disputes  between  the  court  and 
citizens  of  London  regarding  the  election  of 
John  of  Northampton  to  the  mayoralty  in 
1382,  Chaucer’s  attempted  arrest  and  his  flight 
to  Zealand,  his  return  in  1386,  his  imprison¬ 
ment  in  the  Tower,  and  subsequent  release  on 
the  petition  of  Good  Queen  Anne,  all  of  which 
are  contradicted  by  the  official  records.  The 
reason  for  the  loss  of  his  offices  is  easily  sur¬ 
mised,  when  we  consider  the  relation  of  the 
parties,  and  recollect  that  Chaucer’s  patron 


xlvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

was  absent  from  England  ;  and  that  a  commis¬ 
sion,  probably  inimical  to  him,  was  appointed 
in  November,  1386,  to  investigate  alleged 
abuses,  which  began  its  duties  by  examining 
the  revenue  accounts.  However,  it  is  not  ab¬ 
solutely  necessary  that  a  reason  be  found  for 
any  of  the  acts  done  at  a  period  when  right  and 
law  were  at  the  mercy  of  jealousy  and  power. 

During  this  period  of  Chaucer’s  retirement, 
on  the  10th  of  August,  1388,  there  occurred 
on  the  Scottish  border  the  famous  battle  of 
Otterbourne,  commemorated  in  the  ballad  be¬ 
ginning  — 

“  Yt  felle  abowght  the  Lamasse  tyde, 

When  husbonds  wynn  ther  haye, 

The  dowghtye  Dowglasse  bowynd  hym  to  ryde 
In  Ynglond  to  take  a  praye.” 

If  the  old  song  of  the  Percy  and  Douglas 
moved  the  heart  of  a  polished  Sidney  as  with  a 
trumpet,  though  “  evill  apparrelled  in  the  dust 
and  cob-webbes  of  that  uncivill  age,”  how  must 
the  heart  of  a  poet  like  Chaucer  have  been 
stirred  when  the  posts,  breathless  with  the 
haste  of  the  journey,  pressed  into  London  with 
the  fresh  news  of  the  meeting  of  the  Douglas 
and  Percy,  of  the  dash  and  death  of  the  one 
and  the  capture  of  the  other  !  He  could  pict- 


the  poet’s  life.  xlvii 

ure  to  himself  as  we  cannot  the  meeting  of  the 
leaders  as  at  a  tourney,  the  personal  encounter, 
the  charge  of  the  Douglas  with  the  battle-axe, 
the  loss  of  the  Percy  pennon,  and  all  the  ex¬ 
citing  incidents  of  the  rush  of  battle,  which  ap¬ 
pear  quite  dimmed  by  the  mists  of  the  ages,  as 
we  read  of  them  on  the  chronicler’s  record  or 
in  the  poet’s  verses. 

A  great  change  came  over  public  affairs  in 
the  spring  of  1389,  when  the  young  king  as¬ 
serted  himself,  and  appointed  new  ministers, 
one  of  whom  was  the  Earl  of  Derby  (son  of 
John  of  Gaunt),  afterwards  King  Henry  IV. 
Chaucer  appears  to  have  been  immediately  re¬ 
membered,  and  (before  the  Duke  of  Lancaster, 
who  was  in  Guienne,  could  return  to  England) 
was  placed  in  the  valuable  office  of  Clerk  of 
the  King’s  Works  at  the  Palace  of  Westmin¬ 
ster,  the  Tower  of  London,  and  in  various  man¬ 
ors,  lodges,  and  so  forth,  with  a  salary  of  two 
shillings  a  day,  and,  probably,  other  emolu¬ 
ments.  The  next  year  he  was  commanded  to 
procure  men  and  materials  for  the  repair  of  St. 
George’s  Chapel,  Windsor.  On  the  3d  of 
September,  1390,  Chaucer  was  waylaid  by  cer¬ 
tain  notorious  highwaymen,  at  a  place  called 
“  Foule  Ok,”  Westminster,  and  despoiled  of 


xlviii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

twenty  pounds  of  the  king’s  money,  besides  his 
horse  and  other  personal  property.  He  ap¬ 
pealed  to  be  forgiven  the  repayment  of  the 
money,  and  it  was  the  discovery  of  that  fact 
that  led  to  the  finding  of  extensive  records 
concerning  the  trial  of  the  robbers,  which  were 
published  by  the  Chaucer  Society  in  1875. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  Clerk  of  the 
King’s  Works  caused  the  erection  of  scaffolds 
in  Smithfielcl,  in  May,  1390,  from  which  King 
Richard  and  Good  Queen  Anne  witnessed  the 
jousts  that  took  place  at  about  the  time  that 
Richard  was  declared  to  have  come  of  age. 
Thus  closes  the  third  period  of  Chaucer’s  life. 

The  good  fortune  that  came  to  Chaucer  with 
the  restoration  of  the  Lancastrians  to  power 
was  of  short  duration,  for  we  find  him  deprived 
of  all  his  offices  again  in  the  autumn  of  1391, 
and  dependent  for  support  upon  his  annuity  of 
ten  pounds  from  John  of  Gaunt,  and.  his  allow¬ 
ance  of  forty  shillings  for  the  robes,  as  the 
king’s  squire.  In  1394  he  was  somewhat  re¬ 
lieved  by  a  grant  from  the  king  of  twenty 
pounds  a  year  for  life,  but  he  was  still  con¬ 
demned  to  comparative  poverty,  and  to  much 
suffering,  which  continued  until  the  end  of  the 
reign.  It  is  supposed  that  it  was  under  these 


THE  POET’S  LIFE.  xlix 

depressing  circumstances  that  he  sent  to  King 
Richard  the  ballad  beginning  — 

“  Somtyme  this  world  was  so  stedfast  and  stable 
,That  mannes  word  was  holde  obligacioun ; 

And  now  it  is  so  fals  and  diseyvable 
That  word  and  worke,  as  in  conclusioun, 

Been  nothyng  oon  ;  for  turned  up-so-downe 
Is  alle  this  worlde  thurgh  mede  and  wylfulnesse, 
That  al  is  loste  for  lack  of  stedfastnesse.” 

Passing  over  the  record  of  Chaucer’s  finan¬ 
cial  affairs,  that  point  to  a  galling  lack  of  those 
coins  which,  in  his  despairing  verses  to  his 
empty  purse,  he  describes  as  being  “  of  colour 
lyke  the  sunne  bryghte,”  we  arrive  at  the  year 
1399,  made  memorable  by  the  accession  of 
Henry  Bolingbroke,  and  by  the  return  of  pros¬ 
perity  to  our  poet.  In  September  of  that  year 
he  sent  to  the  new  king  the  poetical  intimation 
of  his  pecuniary  needs  that  has  just  been  re¬ 
ferred  to.  It  is  a  plaint  characteristic  of  the 
aged  and  naive  poet,  in  which  he  says  to  his 
purse,  — 

“I  am  so  sory  that  now  ye  been  lyghte  !  ” 

He  concluded  with  these  words  :  — 

“Now,  purse,  that  been  to  me  my  lyves  lyghte, 

And  saviour  (as  doun  in  this  worlde  here), 

Oute  of  this  toune  help  me  thurgh  youre  myghte 

VOL.  1.  d 


1  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

Svn  that  you  wol  not  ben  my  tresorere, 

For  I  am  shave  as  nigh  as  is  a  frere  ; 

But  I  pray  unto  youre  courtesye, 

Beth  hevy  ageyne,  or  elles  moote  I  dye  !  ” 

From  this  unique  petition  there  seems  to 
have  resulted  an  additional  pension  of  forty 
marks  a  year,  on  the  strength  of  which  Chau¬ 
cer  took  a  lease  of  a  house  in  the  garden  of 
St.  Mary’s  Chapel,  Westminster,  for  fifty-three 
years,  at  an  annual  rent  of  two  pounds,  thir¬ 
teen  shillings,  and  four  pence,  the  lease  to  be 
void  on  the  poet’s  death. 

The  records  show  that  he  was  not  out  of 
debt  yet,  but  we  have  the  cheerful  assurance 
that  he  was  settled  in  peace  and  comfort,  and 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  smiles  of  his  sovereign. 
Here  he  is  supposed  to  have  finished  his  Par¬ 
son’s  Tale,  and  here,  in  the  autumn  of  the 
year  1400,  he  is  said  to  have  taken  a  farewell 
of  the  earthly  scenes  which  he  had  done  so 
much  to  make  permanent  for  after  generations. 

Chaucer’s  wife  preceded  him  to  the  grave  ; 
his  son  Lewis,  to  whom  he  addressed  his  trea¬ 
tise  on  the  Astrolabe,  in  1391,  appears  to  have 
died  young;  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  any 
other  children  survived  the  poet,  whose  line 
may  therefore  be  considered  extinct. 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


li 


The  best  means  of  gaining  a  knowledge  of 
Chaucer’s  character  and  personal  appearance 
is  to  read  his  writings,  and  this  is  in  fact  the 
only  way  now  open  to  us.  In  his  “  Life  Rec¬ 
ords  of  Chaucer,”  Part  II.,  published  by  the 
Chaucer  Society  in  1876,  Mr.  Furnivall  quotes 
two  descriptions  of  the  poet  in  his  old  age, 
written  in  the  sixteenth  century.  One,  which 
is  rather  too  completely  a  work  of  the  imagi¬ 
nation,  exhibits  “wittie  Chaucer,”  sitting  “in  a 
chaire  of  gold  covered  with  roses,  writing  prose 
and  risme,  accompanied  by  the  spirites  of  many 
kinges,  knyghtes,  and  faire  ladies,  whom  he 
pleasantly  besprinkled  with  the  sweete  water  of 
the  welle  consecrated  unto  the  muses.”  The 
other  is  more  matter  of  fact,  though  probably 
incorrect  in  its  details. 

“  His  stature  was  not  very  tall  ; 

Lerfne  he  was ;  and  his  legs  were  small, 

Hos’d  within  a  stock  of  red  ; 

A  button’d  bonnet  on  his  head, 

From  under  which  did  hang,  I  weene, 

Silver  haires  both  bright  and  sheene. 

His  beard  was  white,  trimmed  round  ; 

His  countenance  blithe  and  merry  found. 

A  sleevelesse  jacket,  large  and  wide, 

With  many  pleights  and  skirtes  side, 

Of  water  chamlet  did  he  weare  : 

A  whittell  by  his  belt  he  beare. 


lii 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


His  shooes  were  corned  broad  before  ; 

His  inckhorne  at  his  side  he  wore, 

And  in  his  hand  he  bore  a  booke  : 

Thus  did  the  auntient  Poet  looke.” 

From  this  we  turn  to  the  Canterbury  Tales, 
and  find,  in  the  conversation  introductory  to 
the  Ryme  of  Sir  Thopas,  the  following  lines  :  — 

“  Oure  Hoost  japen  tho  bigan. 

And  thanne  at  erst  he  looked  up-on  me, 

And  seyde  thus  :  ‘What  man  artow  ?  ’  quod  he  ; 

‘  Thou  lookest  as  thou  woldest  fynde  an  hare, 

For  evere  up-on  the  ground  I  se  thee  stare. 
Approche  neer,  and  looke  up  murily. 

Now  war  you,  sires,  and  lat  this  man  have  place  ; 

He  in  the  waast  is  shape  as  wel  as  I  ; 

This  were  a  popet  in  an  arm  tenbrace, 

For  any  womman  smal  and  fair  of  face. 

He  serneth  elvyssh  by  his  contenaunce, 

For  un-to  no  wight  dooth  he  daliaunce.’  ” 

% 

The  impression  conveyed  by  this  description 
is  that  the  poet  was  somewhat  corpulent,  with 
a  small  and  intelligent  face,  and  a  meditative 
look,  and  that  he  was  reserved  before  stran¬ 
gers.  No  testimony  except  his  works  is  needed 
to  prove  that  he  was  a  severe  student,  and  we 
can  readily  believe  that  the  traits  which  he  as¬ 
signs  himself  in  the  “  House  of  Fame”  were  in 
reality  his  own.  There  we  are  informed  that 


the  poet’s  life.  liii 

he  was  no  meddler  in  the  affairs  of  his  neigh¬ 
bors,  and  that  when  he  had  finished  his  daily- 
labors  at  the  customs  office,  instead  of  taking 
rest,  or  searching  for  news,  he  went  to  his 
house  to  sit  like  a  hermit  over  a  new  book, 
dumb  as  a  stone,  till  his  eyes  were  dazed, 
though  he  was  no  enemy  to  the  pleasures  of 
the  table. 

In  estimating  the  genius  of  Chaucer  it  has 
been  too  much  the  mode  to  consider  him  as 
simply  the  poet  of  the  Canterbury  pilgrimage, 
and  to  delineate  him  as  ever  tripping  through 
flowery  meads,  or,  if  resting,  luxuriating  in  the 
shade  of  some  flower-embosomed  arbor,  always 
enjoying  holiday  and  singing  with  the  thought¬ 
lessness  of  his  own  nightingales.  A  careful 
study  of  his  life  and  of  all  that  he  wrote  shows 
him  to  have  been  a-  far  different  character. 
Joyous  he  was,  and  full  of  lightsomeness,  and 
he  often  overflowed  with  wit  and  humor  and 
good-fellowship,  but  these  traits  are  by  no 
means  inconsistent  with  the  earnestness  and 
other  more  serious  characteristics  which  mark 
and  distinguish  the  typical  Englishman,  —  are 
they  not  rather  essential  to  it  ? 

Chaucer’s  was  a  well-balanced  nature.  His 
acquirements  and  accomplishments  were  multi- 


liv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

form.  He  was,  first  of  all,  a  gentleman  and  in 
sympathy  with  all  that  belonged  to  the  best  life 
of  the  upper  classes  in  England  in  his  day. 
He  was  a  courtier,  thoroughly  educated  in 
every  department  of  court  service,  from  the 
humble  duties  of  page  to  the  weighty  responsi¬ 
bilities  and  delicate  offices  of  the  foreign  am¬ 
bassador.  He  was  a  man  of  affairs,  able  to 
negotiate  at  Genoa  for  the  extension  of  British 
trade,  or  to  look  out  for  violators  of  the  reve¬ 
nue  laws  in  the  busy  city  of  London.  His 
practical  knowledge  enabled  him  to  superin¬ 
tend  the  king’s  works  when  that  service  in¬ 
volved  repairing  the  palace  of  Westminster,  or 
simply  building  a  scaffolding  from  which  a 
royal  party  might  view  the  jousts.  He  could 
negotiate  with  a  foreign  power  for  peace,  or 
urge  his  sovereign’s  claim  to  the  hand  of  a 
French  princess  ;  he  was  equally  at  home  in 
an  interview  with  a  Petrarch,  or  in  studying  an 
innkeeper  from  whom  he  might  draw  the  jolly 
host  of  the  Tabard.  The  most  tedious  disser¬ 
tations  on  penance  did  not  daunt  him  when  he 
wished  to  prepare  a  sermon  with  which  his 
poor  Parson  should  close  the  series  of  the  Pil¬ 
grims’  tales.  Pie  could  dwell  day  after  day 
upon  the  discussions  of  a  Boethius  in  search  of 


THE  POET’S  LIFE. 


lv 


the  consolations  of  Philosophy ;  and  he  evi¬ 
dently  spared  no  pains  to  make  himself  fa¬ 
miliar  with  the  words  and  doctrines  of  the  Vul¬ 
gate  Bible.  He  knew  all  the  intricacies  of  the 
arts  of  the  astrologers,  physicians,  alchemists, 
and  guileful  men  of  religion,  and  he  estimated 
each  at  its  true  value.  He  knew  the  literature 
of  Rome,  of  Italy,  and  of  France,  and  had  read 
much  of  it  in  the  original  languages ;  above 
all,  he  knew  the  English  people,  their  language 
and  books,  —  knew  just  how  to  paint  their  pe¬ 
culiar  traits  and  life,  and  how  to  fuse  the  com¬ 
posite  elements  of  their  speech  into  one  lan¬ 
guage  which  should  thenceforth  be  accejoted  as 
the  national  tongue. 

Chaucer’s  life  was  one  of  hard  work,  and  it 
was  his  thoroughness  that  enabled  him  to  pro¬ 
duce  so  much  that  is  permanent.  His  literary 
and  public  life  were  kept  almost  entirely  dis¬ 
tinct,  and  it  is  but  glimpses  of  his  own  doings 
and  of  the  more  private  affairs  about  him  that 
we  find  in  his  writings.  He  suffers  not  his 
pen  to  dwell  upon  the  subjects  which  the  au¬ 
thor  of  Piers  the  Plowman  so  diligently  elabo¬ 
rated, —  the  sufferings  of  the  people,  “prog¬ 
ress,”  “  reform,”  are  utterly  ignored  by  him  ; 
nor  does  he  permit  himself  to  treat  of  the  stir- 


lvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

ring  events  of  his  day,  events  some  of  which 
must  have  appealed  to  every  sympathy  of  his 
nature. 

As  he  records  it  for  us,  Chaucer’s  life  is  that 
of  a  purely  literary  man.  We  find  him  first 
dominated  by  the  gay  literature  of  France; 
then,  filled  with  draughts  from  Italian  founts, 
he  writes  his  Rime  of  Sir  Thopas,  in  which  he 
ridicules  the  love-longing  knights  of  whom  Don 
Quixote  was  to  be  the  last ;  and,  as  time  ma¬ 
tures  his  genius,  the  French  gayety  and  Italian 
grace  are  fused,  and  united  with  the  English 
pathos,  sarcasm,  and  humor,  in  the  Canterbury 
Tales.  Age  finds  him  suffering  in  patience, 
employing  his  mind  by  writing  subdued  tales 
and  by  teaching  his  little  Lewis  the  mysteries 
of  the  Astrolabe,  until,  at  the  end,  he  is  re¬ 
warded  for  all  his  toil  by  gaining  a  quiet  home 
in  which  to  die. 

IV. 

The  consideration  of  an  author’s  productions 
should,  without  doubt,  be  pursued  in  the  chron¬ 
ological  order,  and  much  labor  has  been  ex¬ 
pended  in  the  effort  to  discover  with  certainty 
at  what  time  Chaucer  composed  his  various 
works.  This  effort  has  been  more  thoroughly 


THE  POET  S  WORKS. 


lvii 


made  by  the  scholars  associated  with  the  Chau¬ 
cer  Society,  since  its  establishment,  in  1866, 
than  ever  before,  and  in  the  society’s  publi¬ 
cations  is  presented  a  tentative  chronological 
arrangement  of  all  the  productions  of  Chau¬ 
cer’s  pen,  the  grounds  for  which,  though  not 
considered  conclusive,  are  there  given  in  full. 

Another  important  labor  of  the  same  body 
of  scholars  has  been  the  separation  of  those 
works  that  can  be  considered  authentic  from 
those  wrongly  attributed  to  the  poet,  or 
printed  among  his  works.  In  the  present 
edition  those  poems  of  doubtful  authenticity 
which  it  has  been  deemed  best  to  insert  are 
placed  in  a  body  after  the  others.  The  ar¬ 
rangement  of  the  Canterbury  Tales  adopted  by 
Mr.  Furnivall  in  the  publications  of  the  Chau¬ 
cer  Society,  which  adds  much  to  their  interest, 
is  here  for  the  first  time  followed.  It  must  not 
be  considered,  however,  that  either  the  chrono¬ 
logical  order  of  the  poet’s  works,  or  the  ar¬ 
rangement  of  his  Canterbury  Tales,  has  yet 
been  satisfactorily  determined. 

Though  Chaucer  was  preeminently  a  poet, 
one  third  of  the  total  product  of  his  pen  is 
prose.  Beside  the  Parson’s  Tale  and  the  story 
of  Melibeus,  —  which,  singularly  enough,  he 


lviii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

put  into  his  own  mouth,  when  his  turn  came 
among  the  pilgrims,  —  he  translated  the  whole 
of  the  “  Consolations  of  Philosophy,”  written 
by  the  Roman  statesman  Ancius  Manlius  Seve¬ 
rinus  Boethius  in  his  imprisonment,  in  the  sixth 
century.  This  remarkable  work  was  wonder¬ 
fully  popular  all  through  the  Middle  Ages,  and 
it  is  not  surprising  that  its  striking  style  should 
have  made  a  lasting  impression  upon  Chaucer, 
who  echoes  its  thoughts  in  many  places.  In 
an  eloquent  passage  in  the  seventh  volume  of 
his  “  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,” 
Gibbon  says  that  the  genius  of  Boethius  sur¬ 
vived  to  diffuse  a  ray  of  knowledge  over  the 
darkest  ages  of  the  Latin  world ;  and  Hallam, 
in  the  first  chapter  of  his  “  Literature  of  Eu¬ 
rope,”  says  :  “In  elevation  of  sentiment  equal 
to  any  of  the  philosophers,  and  mingling  a 
Christian  sanctity  with  their  lessons,  he  speaks 
from  his  prison  in  the  swan-like  tones  of  dying 
eloquence.”  Among  the  passages  in  which 
Chaucer  shows  his  indebtedness  to  Boethius 
is  a  noteworthy  discussion  of  Predestination 
and  Free-Will,  in  the  fourth  book  of  “Troylus 
and  Cryseyde,”  beginning,  — 

“  Syn  God  seth  every thynge,  oute  of  doutance, 

And  hem  desponeth  thurgh  his  ordinance.” 


THE  POET’S  WORKS.  lix 

The  theme  was  a  favorite  with  the  Schoolmen 
and  with  Chaucer,  his  story  of  Melibeus  being 
an  adaptation  of  another  work  on  the  consola¬ 
tions  of  Philosophy. 

Twenty-four  titles  comprise  the  whole  of 
Chaucer’s  authentic  works.  Three  are  as¬ 
signed  to  the  period  during  which  he  was  un¬ 
der  the  French  influence. 

I.  The  A  B  C,  A  Prayer  to  the  Virgin. 
This  is  a  poem  of  twenty-three  eight-line  stan¬ 
zas,  each  of  which  begins  with  a  different  letter 
of  the  alphabet.  It  is  translated  from  a  French 
poem  written  by  a  Cistercian  monk,  Guillaume 
de  Deguilleville,  about  thirty  years  previous  to 
Chaucer’s  use  of  it.  The  version  is  quite  free.1 

II.  A  Complainte  of  the  D  eat  he  of  Pitie.  A 
poem  of  seventeen  stanzas  of  seven  lines  each. 

III.  The  Dethe  of  Blaunche  the  D aches se.  A 
poem  of  thirteen  hundred  and  thirty-four  lines. 
It  is  assigned  to  the  year  1369,  and  is  generally 
supposed  to  refer  to  the  mourning  of  John  of 
Gaunt  for  his  first  wife,  Blanche,  the  mother 
of  Henry  IV. 

1  There  are  many  examples  of  poems  in  which  each  verse  begins 
with  a  different  letter  of  the  alphabet,  both  in  Hebrew  and  in  Greek. 
Psalm  cxlv.  is  a  case  in  point  in  Hebrew,  and  the  Virgins’  Song, 
composed  by  Methodius,  Bishop  of  Olympas,  who  died  in  the  year 
311,  in  Greek.  The  latter  has  been  translated  into  English  verse, 
by  the  Reverend  Allen  W.  Chatfield,  in  a  volume  published  by  Riv- 
ingtons,  London. 


lx  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

Eight  titles  are  assigned  to  the  second  pe¬ 
riod  of  Chaucer’s  life,  during  which  he  was 
under  the  Italian  influence,  but  nine  of  the 
Canterbury  Tales  are  also  supposed  to  be  the 
product  of  the  period. 

IV.  The  Parlement  of  Foules.  A  poem  of 
six  hundred  and  ninety-four  lines,  showing  con¬ 
siderable  growth  of  the  poetic  faculty,  and  the 
beginning  of  the  love  of  nature  and  of  the  hu¬ 
mor  which  were  to  be  more  marked  in  the 
poet’s  future  work.  There  are  indications  also 
of  an  acquaintance  with  Dante  and  Boccaccio, 
a  number  of  the  lines  being  adapted  from  the 
“  Inferno  ”  and  the  “  Teseide.” 

V.  The  Compleynt  of  Mars.  A  poem  of  two 
hundred  and  ninety-eight  lines,  distributed  into 
twenty-two  seven-line  stanzas  and  sixteen  stan¬ 
zas  of  nine  lines. 

VI.  The  Compleynte  of  Faire  Anelyda  and 
False  Arcyte.  An  apparently  unfinished  poem 
of  three  hundred  and  sixty  lines,  reminding  one 
at  its  beginning  of  the  Knight’s  tale  of  Pala- 
mon  and  Arcite.  Chaucer  acknowledges  him¬ 
self  under  obligations  for  the  story  to  P.  Pa¬ 
pinius  Statius,  who  wrote  in  the  first  century  a 
poem  embodying  the  legends  regarding  the  ex¬ 
pedition  of  the  Seven  against  Thebes,  as  well 


the  poet’s  works.  Ixi 

as  to  a  now  forgotten  writer,  whom  he  calls 
Corinne. 

VII.  De  Consolatione  Philosophies.  This  is 
the  translation  from  Boethius,  already  men¬ 
tioned.  In  describing  it  Gibbon  says  that  it  is 
“  a  golden  volume  not  unworthy  the  leisure  of 
Plato  or  Tully,  but  which  claims  incomparable 
merit  from  the  barbarism  of  the  times  and  sit¬ 
uation  of  the  author.  The  celestial  guide 
[Philosophy]  whom  he  had  so  long  invoked  at 
Rome  and  Athens  1  now  condescended  to  illu¬ 
mine  his  dungeon,  to  revive  his  courage,  and  to 
pour  into  his  wounds  her  salutary  balm.  She 
taught  him  to  compare  his  long  prosperity  and 
his  recent  distress,  and  to  conceive  new  hopes 
from  the  inconstancy  of  fortune.  Reason  had 
informed  him  of  the  precarious  condition  of 
her  gifts  ;  experience  had  satisfied  him  of  their 
real  value ;  he  had  enjoyed  them  without  guilt, 
he  might  resign  them  without  a  sigh  and  calmly 
disdain  the  impotent  malice  of  his  enemies, 
who  had  left  him  happiness  since  they  had  left 
him  virtue.  From  the  earth  Boethius  ascended 
to  heaven  in  search  of  the  supreme  good ;  ex¬ 
plored  the  metaphysical  labyrinth  of  chance 

\  It  is  probable,  however,  that  Boethius  did  not  study  at  Athens, 
as  it  was  formerly  supposed  that  he  did. 


Ixii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

and  destiny,  of  prescience  and  free-will,  of  time 
and  eternity ;  and  generously  attempted  to  rec¬ 
oncile  the  perfect  attributes  of  the  Deity  with 
the  apparent  disorder  of  his  moral  and  physical 
government.” 

VIII.  The  Former  Age.  A  poem  of  sixty- 
four  lines,  based  upon  a  passage  in  the  second 
book  of  the  work  just  mentioned. 

IX.  Troylus  and  Cryseyde.  A  poem  of 
eight  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-three 
lines,  distributed  into  five  books.  It  relates 
the  story  of  the  love  of  the  hero  and  heroine, 
so  familiar  to  the  readers  of  Shakespeare,  but 
it  differs  from  the  tragedy  by  being  confined 
to  that  subject.  It  is  based  upon  the  “  Filos- 
trato  ”  of  Boccaccio,  of  which,  according  to 
Mr.  William  M.  Rossetti,  two  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  thirty  lines  are  condensed  by 
Chaucer  into  two  thousand  five  hundred  and 
eighty-three,  the  remainder  being  original,  or 
supplied  from  other  sources.  Professor  Ten 
Brink  says  that  Chaucer  took  his  definition  of 
a  tragedy  from  one  of  Dante’s  minor  works, 
and  wrote  his  poem  after  rules  laid  down  by 
him  in  another,  and  that  the  poem  shows  in¬ 
debtedness  also  to  the  “  Inferno  ”  and  “  Pur- 
gatorio.”  His  heroine  is  a  finer  character  on 


the  poet’s  works.  lxiii 

his  pages  than  either  Boccaccio  or  Shakespeare 
exhibit  her.  Mr.  Rossetti  says  that  we  have  to 
thank  Chaucer  for  “  presenting  English  read¬ 
ers  with  \_sic]  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  Eng¬ 
lish  or  possible  poems  —  an  entire  and  perfect 
chrysolite.”  He  adds  that  it  is  “  peculiarly 
memorable  and  unfailingly  fascinating,  as  com¬ 
bining  in  itself  at  once  the  very  topmost  blos¬ 
som  and  crown  of  the  chivalric  passion  and 
gallantry,  and  the  exquisite  first-fruits  of  that 
humorous  study  of  character  in  which  our  na¬ 
tional  writers  have  so  especially  excelled.  This 
is  the  quality  which  culminated  so  superbly  in 
Shakespeare.” 

X.  Chaucer's  Words  to  Adam,  his  Scrivener. 
A  stanza  of  seven  lines,  in  which  the  poet  com¬ 
plains  of  his  scrivener’s  carelessness. 

XL  7he  House  of  Fame.  A  poetic  allegory 
of  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy  lines, 
showing  the  uncertainty  of  fame.  It  contains 
passages  indicating  a  familiarity  with  Dante 
and  the  classics.  Professor  Ten  Brink  says 
that  the  general  plot  is  imitated  from  the  “  Di- 
vina  Commedia,”  and  that  special  passages 
were  suggested  by  the  “  Inferno,”  “  Paradiso,” 
and  “  Purgatorio,”  respectively.  The  descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  house  of  rumors,  with  its  telephonic 


lxiv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

communication  with  all  regions,  is  an  amplifi¬ 
cation  of  a  passage  from  Ovid’s  “  Metamor¬ 
phoses.”  There  are  also  references  to  Boethius 
and  the  Bible. 

Five  titles  are  ascribed  to  the  next  period, 
during  which  Chaucer  became  thoroughly  Eng¬ 
lish  in  his  literary  character,  and  conceived,  or 
began  to  put  into  shape,  his  Canterbury 
Tales,  —  the  most  vivid  delineations  of  Eng¬ 
lish  life  in  our  literature.  The  General  Pro¬ 
logue  and  ten  of  the  tales  are  thought  to  have 
been  written  at  this  period. 

XII.  The  Legende  of  Goode  Women.  A  poem 
of  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty 
lines,  comprising  a  prologue  and  nine  “  leg¬ 
ends,”  derived  from  Ovid,  Virgil,  Livy,  and 
other  authors.  The  prologue  is  characteristic, 
exhibiting  all  of  Chaucer’s  love  of  spring  and 
flowers,  and  the  other  portions  are  not  wanting 
in  picturesqueness  and  force.  The  reason  for 
recording  the  virtues  of  these  “  good  ”  women 
is  stated  in  the  prologue  to  be  that  the  poet 
had  offended  the  god  of  Love  by  the  “  heresy  ” 
in  his  translation  of  the  “  Romaunt  of  the 
Rose,”  and  in  “Troylus  and  Cryseyde.” 

XIII.  The  Canterbury  Tales.  A  poem  of 
seventeen  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty- 


THE  POET  S  WORKS. 


lxv 


five  lines  (with  which  are  incorporated  two 
prose  pieces)  comprising  twenty-four  tales  told 
by  twenty-three  pilgrims  representing  the  differ¬ 
ent  classes  of  society,  who  are  made  by  the  fic¬ 
tion  of  the  poet  to  meet  at  the  Tabard  Inn, 
Southwark,  all  bound  for  the  shrine  of  Thomas 
h  Becket  at  Canterbury. 

The  poem  explains  itself.  It  was  composed 
in  parts,  from  time  to  time,  during  all  of  Chau¬ 
cer’s  literary  life.  At  about  1388,  the  inten¬ 
tion  appears  to  have  been  formed  of  arranging 
the  tales  in  the  order  in  which  they  might  have 
been  told  on  a  horseback  ride  occupying  three 
or  four  days.  Then  the  General  Prologue 
was  written  —  an  unrivaled  production  —  and 
some  of  the  tales  were  put  in  order,  being 
joined  together  by  brief  conversational  links, 
and  in  other  ways.  The  work  was  never  com¬ 
pleted.  The  stories  were  not  all  written,  and 
those  which  were  finished  were  not  all  linked 
together,  provision  being  made  for  the  exten¬ 
sion  of  the  series. 

The  Prologue  tells  us  that  there  were 
“  wel  nine  and  twenty  ”  pilgrims,  or  as  we 
might  say,  “  some  nine  and  twenty,”  a  state¬ 
ment  that  agrees  with  the  list  given,  which  in 
fact  includes  thirty.  The  Host  and  the  Poet, 

VOL.  1.  e 


lxvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

with  the  Canon  and  his  Yeoman,  who  overtook 
the  party,  raise  the  total  to  thirty-four. 

In  this  group  the  different  social  classes  are 
represented  in  the  following  proportion.  There 
were  three  women ;  nine  persons  who  may  be 
said  to  belong  to  the  Church  ;  four  who  stand 
for  the  learned  professions  outside  of  the 
Church  ;  two,  the  Knight  and  his  Squire,  who 
still  supported  the  customs  of  chivalry  ;  four¬ 
teen  are  from  the  world  of  workers  ;  and  two, 
the  Franklin  and  Plowman,  are  the  exponents 
of  country  living.  The  characters  are  carefully 
selected,  the  workers  being  in  the  majority,  as 
they  should  be  in  a  well  ordered  society  ;  the 
churchmen  coming  next,  as  they  actually  did  ; 
and  the  women  being  few,  —  the  ladies  none, 
—  as  a  mixed  company  of  the  sort  would  be 
congenial  only  to  a  blatant  Wife  of  Bath,  or  en¬ 
durable  to  a  Prioress  or  a  Nun,  who  might  con¬ 
sider  it  an  opportunity  for  good  works. 

It  is  impossible  to  decide  at  what  date  the 
particular  tales  were  written,  but  in  a  general 
wray  they  have  been  assigned  by  Mr.  Furnivall 
to  Chaucer’s  early  life,  middle  age,  and  maturer 
years,  as  follows  :  — 

Eight  tales  of  a  pathetic  nature,  treating  of 
love  in  various  phases,  are  attributed  to  the 
first  period  :  — 


the  poet’s  works.  lxvii 

1.  The  Second  Nun’s  story  of  St.  Cecilia. 

2.  The  Prioress’s  story  of  the  Christian  child 
killed  by  the  Jews. 

3.  The  Man  of  Law’s  story  of  Pious  Cus- 
tance. 

4.  The  Clerk’s  tale  of  Patient  Griselda. 

5.  The  Doctor  of  Physic’s  story  of  Virginius 
and  Virginia. 

6.  The  Knight’s  tale  of  Palamon  and  Arcite. 

7.  The  Squire’s  tale  of  Cambuscan. 

8.  The  Franklin’s  tale  of  the  removal  of 
rocks  by  magic. 

In  middle  life  Chaucer  is  supposed  to  have 
composed  his  twelve  humorous  tales  :  — 

1.  The  Nun’s  Priest’s  tale  of  the  Cock  and 
the  Fox. 

2.  The  Miller’s  tale  of  Nicholas  and  Abso- 
lon. 

3.  The  Reeve’s  tale  of  Symkin  the  Miller. 

4.  The  Cook’s  unfinished  story  of  Perkin 
Revellour. 

5.  The  Merchant’s  story  of  the  Pavian 
knight,  January,  and  his  wife,  May. 

6.  The  Wife  of  Bath’s  fairy  tale. 

7.  The  Shipman’s  story  of  the  duped  mer¬ 
chant. 

8.  The  Manciple’s  story  of  the  Crow. 


lxviii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

9.  The  Friar’s  tale  of  the  Summoner. 

10.  The  Summoner’s  story  of  the  Friar  Lim- 
itor. 

11.  The  Pardoner’s  tale  of  the  Rioters. 

12.  The  Canon’s  Yeoman’s  story  of  the  Al¬ 
chemist. 

To  the  poet’s  latest  years  four  tales  are  as¬ 
signed  :  — 

1.  His  own  incomplete  Rime  of  Sir  Thopas. 

2.  His  story  of  Melibeus. 

3.  The  Monk’s  examples  of  fallen  great 
ones.1 

4.  The  Parson’s  sermon  on  Penitence. 

This  very  interesting  arrangement  gives  a 
probable  indication  of  the  progress  of  the 
author’s  genius,  but  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  intended  the  stories  to  be  read  in  such 
an  order.  He  designed  that  they  should  come 
before  the  reader  as  he  imagined  them  to  have 
been  heard  by  the  pilgrims  on  the  journey. 
Forty-six  miles  were  to  be  passed  over.  The 
tales  were  evidently  all  told  on  the  way  to 
Canterbury,  three  days  and  a  half  or  four  days 
being  occupied  by  the  journey. 

1  Professor  Child,  Mr.  Skeat,  and  others  do  not  agree  with  Mr. 
Furnivall  that  the  Monk’s  tale  was  written  late.  For  a  discussion 
of  this  point,  see  the  Introduction  to  the  volume  in  the  series  of  the 
Clarendon  Press  containing  Mr.  Skeat’s  text  of  the  tales  of  the  Pri¬ 
oress,  the  Monk,  and  others. 


THE  POET’S  WORKS.  Ixix 

In  the  General  Prologue  we  become  ac¬ 
quainted  with  each  of  the  interesting  group  of 
pilgrims,  and  learn  that  when  they  started  on 
their  way,  the  morning  after  the  meeting  at 
the  Tabard,  the  Knight  drew  the  shortest  cut, 
and  in  accordance  with  the  “  forward,”  or 
agreement,  began  the  story  of  Palamon  and 
Arcite,  the  outline  of  which  is  taken  from  Boc¬ 
caccio’s  “Teseide.” 

When  the  Knight  had  finished  he  was  warm¬ 
ly  congratulated  by  the  “  gentles,”  and  all  the 
party  agreed  that  the  story  was  a  noble  one. 
The  Miller  was  then  called  upon,  though  he 
was  drunken  and  unsteady,  and  he  related  a 
licentious  tale,  for  which  Chaucer  apologizes, 
saying  that  he  must  report  the  words  of  the 
pilgrims,  be  they  better  or  worse,  and  that 
those  who  do  not  like  it  may  find  on  other 
leaves  stories  of  “  gentilesse  ”  (gentility)  and 
even  of  morality  and  holiness.  The  origin  of 
the  story  has  not  been  discovered.  It  shows 
plainly  the  growing  disrespect  felt  and  exhib¬ 
ited  towards  churchmen. 

There  were  different  opinions  among  the 
pilgrims  upon  this  story,  but  for  the  most  part 
they  laughed  at  it.  Oswald,  the  Reve,  did  not 
laugh,  however,  for  it  was  not  complimentary 


lxx  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

to  carpenters,  and  he  was  a  carpenter.  He 
“  quoke  ”  with  ire  and  said  that  he  would  be 
even  with  the  drunken  Miller.  As  the  party 
arrived  at  Depford  the  Reve  began  his  tale  of 
the  “  begiled  ”  miller,  which  was  of  no  higher 
moral  tone  than  the  one  that  had  just  been 
told.  It  was  a  favorite  story  in  the  Middle 
Ages,  and  had  been  used  by  Boccaccio. 

The  Cook  laughed  heartily  at  the  denoti- 
ment ,  and  asked  leave  to  tell  a  “  litel  jape  ” 
that  happened'  in  his  town  once.  The  Host 
acceded,  but  in  doing  so  made  a  remark  that 
provoked  the  Cook  to  threaten  to  tell  a  tale  of 
a  host  at  a  future  time,  to  make  himself  even 
with  Harry  Bailly.  He  then  began  to  tell 
about  Perkin  the  Revellour,  but  his  story  is 
abruptly  ended  on  these  pages  with  an  impa¬ 
tient  remark  by  Chaucer,  who  seems  to  have 
suddenly  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  he  had 
allowed  the  tales  of  license  to  go  far  enough. 

With  this  the  first  day’s  ride  ended,  leaving 
the  pilgrims  at  Dartford,  fifteen  miles  from  the 
Tabard. 

The  next  morning,  the  18th  of  May,  the 
Host  called  upon  the  Man  of  Law  for  his  tale, 
and  a  little  conversation  ensued,  in  the  course 
of  which  Chaucer  gave  an  outline  of  his  plan 


THE  POET’S  WORKS. 


for  the  “  Legende  of  Goode  Women,” — a  plan 
that  he  never  fully  carried  out.  He  intended 
to  write  it  year  by  year,  as  he  composed  the 
Canterbury  Tales.  The  Man  of  Law  related 
the  very  interesting  story  of  the  sufferings  and 
reward  of  pious  Constance,  which  had  been 
told  by  Gower,  and  by  others  long  before  his 
day. 

With  a  fashionable  oath,  the  Host  then 
called  upon  the  Parson  for  a  tale,  but  that 
worthy  exclaimed,  “  What  eyleth  the  man  so 
synfully  to  swere  ?  ”  This  led  the  company 
to  suspect  that  the  Parson  was  a  Lollard,  and 
he  did  not  deny  an  insinuation  to  that  ef¬ 
fect.  Hereupon  the  Shipman  declared  that  no 
preaching  was  wanted,  that  they  all  believed 
the  gospel  and  wished  no  “  cockle  ”  sown 
among  them,  and,  finally,  that  he  would  wake 
up  the  company  with  a  tale,  not  of  philosophy, 
nor  of  physic,  nor  of  law.  He  gave  them  a 
story  of  much  grossness,  but  considerable  hu¬ 
mor,  which  had  also  been  included  in  the 
“  Decamerone.” 

At  its  close  the  burly  Host  expressed  his  de¬ 
cided  approval  of  it,  and  asked  the  Prioress  to 
favor  the  company  with  a  tale.  She  assented, 
and  related  the  story  of  the  child  slain  by  Jews 


Ixxii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

in  Asia.  It  was  a  marvelous  legend,  but  its 
only  effect  upon  the  Host  was  to  cause  him  to 
“  jape  ”  more,  and  he  immediately  made  a  de¬ 
mand  upon  Chaucer  for  a  tale  of  mirth,  “  some 
deynte  ”  thing,  and  the  poet  responded  by  be¬ 
ginning  the  Rime  of  Sir  Thopas,  in  which  he 
burlesqued  the  usages  of  chivalry.  It  was  one 
of  those  stories  which,  having  no  natural  end, 
might  go  on  forever,  and  the  Host  stopped  it 
with  much  impatience,  in  the  midst  of  the 
second  “  fit,”  and  asked  for  something  in  prose. 
He  was  even  willing  to  take  “doctrine,”  and 
Chaucer  gave  it  to  him  with  emphasis  in  the 
tale  of  Melibeus,  which  is  little  more  than  a 
translation  of  the  philosophical  work  of  Alber- 
tano  of  Brescia,  entitled  “  Consolatione  et  Con- 
silii.”  1 

The  Host  was  satisfied,  and  said  that  he 
would  have  given  a  barrel  of  ale  to  have  had 
his  shrew  of  a  wife  hear  of  the  patience  of 
Melibeus’s  wife,  dame  Prudence.  He  then 
made  some  bantering  remarks  to  the  worthy 
Monk  and  asked  for  his  story,  at  the  same  time 
indicating  the  progress  of  the  pilgrims  by  say- 


1  The  work  of  Albertano,  edited  by  Thor  Sunby,  of  Copenhagen, 
was  published  by  the  Chaucer  Society,  in  1873.  In  that  edition  the 
Biblical  and  classical  allusions  and  references  are  very  carefully  traced 
to  their  sources. 


THE  POET’S  WORKS. 


ing  that  they  had  nearly  reached  Rochester. 
The  tale  which  followed  was  a  series  of  verses 
on  the  fall  of  great  men,  similar  to  the  work  of 
Eoccaccio,  “  De  Casibus  Yirorum  Illustrium.” 
Before  it  had  reached  a  natural  end  the  Host 
exclaimed  that  he  could  endure  it  no  longer, 
but  would  like  to  hear  something  about  hunt¬ 
ing.  The  Monk  replied  with  dignity  that  he 
was  not  in  the  humor  for  that,  whereupon  the 
Nun’s  Priest  was  asked  to  make  his  contribu¬ 
tion  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  company.  Plis 
tale  was  the  old  story  of  the  Cock  and  the  Fox, 
but  it  was  adorned  by  Chaucer’s  humorous 
genius. 

Here  the  second  day  ended,  at  Rochester, 
thirty  miles  from  London. 

The  tales  of  the  third  day  opened  with  the 
story  of  Virginia,  told  by  the  Doctor  of  Physic. 
It  is  in  the  “  Romaunt  of  the  Rose  ”  and  in 
Gower’s  “Confessio  Amantis,”  but  seems  rather 
to  have  been  taken  by  Chaucer  directly  from 
Livy.  It  excited  the  wrath  of  the  Host  ex¬ 
ceedingly,  and  he  cursed  the  false  Appius,  but 
finally  became  calm  enough  to  ask  the  Par¬ 
doner  for  the  next  story.  That  charlatan  said 
that  he  must  take  a  drink  and  a  bite  of  cake 
first,  the  “  gentles  ”  of  the  party  showing  their 


lxxiv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

opinion  of  the  class,  to  which  he  belonged  by 
demanding  that  he  should  give  them  no  rib¬ 
aldry.  While  he  was  drinking  he  explained 
his  mode  of  selling  relics,  and  showed  the 
hypocrite  that  he  was.  He  then  told  a  story 
of  certain  rioters,  ostentatiously  making  it  a 
warning  against  gluttony  and  dice,  after  which 
he  closed  by  offering  his  relics  for  sale. 

The  Wife  of  Bath  followed  with  a  long  dis¬ 
sertation  on  wedlock,  illustrated  by  her  own 
experience.  It  caused  the  Friar  to  laugh, 
which  brought  about  a  vituperative  colloquy 
between  him  and  the  Summoner,  which  the 
Host  interrupted,  and  demanded  the  Wife’s 
tale.  She  willingly  gave  a  characteristic  story 
of  the  times  of  King  Arthur,  intended  to  illus¬ 
trate  her  view  that  what  women  want  most  and 
ought  to  have  is  their  own  will.  It  contains 
quotations  from  Dante  and  the  “  Romaunt  of 
the  Rose.”  In  its  essentials  the  story  had  been 
told  by  Gower. 

At  this  point  a  storm  that  had  been  long 
brewing  broke  out  between  the  Summoner  and 
the  Friar,  and  each  told  a  story  aimed  at  the 
other.  After  a  remark  about  the  difficulty  of 
the  theme  treated  by  the  Wife,  and  after  dep¬ 
recating  doctrinal  stories,  the  Friar  concluded 


THE  POET’S  WORKS.  IxXV 

with  an  offer  to  tell  his  tale,  which  should  be 
about  a  summoner,  of  whom  all  knew  no  good 
could  be  said.  To  this  the  Summoner  replied 
that  he  was  ready  for  the  worst,  and  would 
give  as  good  as  was  sent. 

The  Friar’s  story  was  about  a  summoner 
who  was  carried  off  by  the  arch  fiend.  It 
made  the  member  of  the  party  at  whom  it 
was  aimed  more  angry  than  he  expected  to  be, 
but  he  asked  only  to  be  allowed  to  tell  his  tale 
about  the  friar,  which  he  proceeded  to  do. 
After  this  the  pilgrims  seem  to  have  halted 
for  dinner,  at  Sittingbourne,  forty  miles  from 
London. 

After  dinner,  if  the  above  supposition  is  cor¬ 
rect,  the  Host  abruptly  called  for  a  tale  from 
the  Clerk  of  Oxenford,  who  gave  the  story  of 
the  extravagant  patience  of  Griselda,  which 
was  older  than  Boccaccio,  who  had  recounted 
it.  Chaucer  followed  a  Latin  version.  In  a 
few  stanzas  which  he  added,  he  indulged  in  a 
sly  thrust  at  Griselda,  and  referred  to  the  sto¬ 
ried  beast  of  mediaeval  times,  called  “  Chiche- 

vache,” 1  who  fed  upon  patient  wives,  of  whom 

• 

1  The  word  Chichevache  seems  to  contain  a  reference  to  the  lean 
kine  of  Pharaoh,  and  is  a  corruption  of  the  French  chicheface ,  one 
whose  meanness  is  impressed  on  his  face.  ( Chiche ,  stingy;  face, 
face ;  vac  he,  cow. ) 


Ixxvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

he  found  so  small  a  supply  as  to  be  usually 
half  starved. 

The  tale  of  Grisekla  led  the  Merchant  to 
bemoan  his  matrimonial  infelicity,  upon  hear¬ 
ing  which  the  Host  demanded  a  story  founded 
upon  his  experience,  but  he  declined  to  probe 
his  own  sore  further,  and  gave  an  account  of 
the  troubles  of  January  and  May,  of  which  a 
version  had  long  been  extant  in  Latin.  It  led 
to  a  few  words  by  the  Host  apropos  of  bad 
wives,  a  topic  upon  which  experience  made  him 
fluent,  after  which  the  stories  ceased  for  the 
day,  the  party  resting  at  Ospring,  forty-six  miles 
from  London. 

The  next  morning  the  Host  called  out  the 
Squire,  who  gave  the  tale,  a  fruit  of  Oriental 
fancy,  by  which  Milton  characterizes  Chau¬ 
cer’s  genius,  full  of  picturesque  descriptions 
and  gorgeous  imagery.  Mr.  Skeat  says  that 
the  materials  for  the  story  came  from  the 
“  Arabian  Nights’  Entertainments  ”  and  the 
travels  of  Marco  Polo.1  Notwithstanding  that 
the  story  is,  as  Milton  says,  but  “  half  told,” 

and  ends  in  the  midst  of  a  sentence,  the  Frank- 

• 

1  The  reader  of  the  Squire’s  Tale  who  does  not  refer  to  the  admira¬ 
ble  remarks  of  Mr.  Skeat,  in  his  introduction  to  his  edition  of  it, 
published  by  the  Clarendon  Press,  will  be  the  loser.  All  that  Mr. 
Skeat  has  written  bears  the  marks  of  his  acute  and  exact  scholarship. 


the  poet’s  works.  lxxvii 

lin  proceeded  and  told  how  carefully  he  snubbed 
his  son  when  he  played  with  dice  and  went 
into  low  society,  in  order  to  train  him  in  “gen- 
tilesse.”  “  A  straw  for  your  gentilesse  !  ”  ex¬ 
claimed  the  Host,  “  tell  on  thy  tale  withouten 
wordes  mo  !  ”  With  an  apology  for  his  want 
of  polish,  the  Franklin  told  a  story  that  he 
said  he  had  derived  from  an  ancient  Breton 
lay.  It  was  the  fiction  of  the  magical  removal 
of  rocks  from  the  Armorican  coast,  which  had 
been  used  by  Boccaccio  in  his  “  Decamerone  ” 
and  “  Filicopo.”  In  the  midst  of  its  low  moral¬ 
ity  occurs  the  line  so  highly  praised  by  Mr. 
Lowell,  — 

“Trouthe  is  the  hyeste  thyng  that  man  may  kepe.”1 

The  Second  Nun’s  tale  of  St.  Cecilia  fol¬ 
lowed,  but  the  words  of  connection,  if  ever 
written,  have  been  lost.  It  is  a  translation 
from  the  “  Legenda  Aurea,”  a  work  written 
before  1300,  and  had  evidently  been  prepared 
by  Chaucer  as  a  complete  work,  and  long  after 
incorporated  into  the  Canterbury  Tales.  The 
party  was  then  overtaken,  at  Boughton-under- 
Blean,  by  a  Canon  and  his  Yeoman.  The 
former  was  a  schemer,  whose  tricks  his  serv¬ 
ant  so  circumstantially  exposed  that  he  in- 


1  Line  16,255.  See  My  Study  Windows,  page  231. 


lxxviii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

continently  left  in  shame.  The  Yeoman’s  tale, 
which  was  then  told,  proved  to  be  a  vigorous 
satire  of  the  alchemists,  in  the  form  of  an  ac¬ 
count  of  the  deception  practiced  by  a  false 
canon,  not  the  one  who  had  just  fled. 

At  this  point  an  altercation  ensued  between 
the  Cook  and  the  Manciple,  in  the  course  of 
which  the  former  was  thrown  from  his  horse. 
He  was,  by  dint  of  much  tugging,  reseated, 
after  which  the  Manciple  gave  an  amusing 
version  of  Ovid’s  story  of  the  Crow.  Chaucer 
seems  to  have  forgotten  that  the  Cook  had 
told  a  tale  on  the  first  morning,  —  or  perhaps 
he  did  not  count  it,  as  it  was  unfinished,  — 
and  asked  him  for  another,  but  the  man  had 
drunk  too  much  to  be  able  to  do  anything  but 
quarrel. 

It  was  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  when 
the  Manciple  concluded,  upon  which  the  Host 
made  a  second  demand  upon  the  Parson,  and 
was  successful  in  getting  a  sermon.  It  was 
long  enough  to  dismay  those  who  had  feared 
lest  the  good  man  should  prove  a  Wiclifite 
who  would  sow  tares  in  their  orthodox  hearts.1 
It  may  well  have  been  sundown  before  the 
dreaded  “  predication  ”  was  finished.  It  was 

1  For  a  discussion  of  the  question  of  the  theological  sympathies  of 
the  Parson,  see  Chaucer  a  IViclifite ,  by  M.  H.  Simon,  of  Schmal- 
kalden,  Hesse-Cassel,  published  by  the  Chaucer  Society. 


THE  POET’S  WORKS.  Ixxix 

evidently  intended  to  complete  the  work,  but 
it  is  equally  plain  that  all  the  stories  were  not 
written  that  were  to  have  gone  before  it. 

It  is  followed  by  a  prayer  or  retraction,  in 
which  Chaucer  asks  his  readers  to  pray  God  to 
have  mercy  on  him  for  his  sins  in  general, 
and  especially  for  the  “worldly  vanities  ”  in  his 
books,  some  of  which  he  mentions  by  name ; 
and  he  prays  himself  that  he  may  be  blessed 
in  this  life  and  saved  “  at  the  day  of  doom.” 
The  authenticity  of  this  has  been  much  dis¬ 
cussed,  but  there  appears  to  be  no  conclusive 
reason  for  rejecting  it.  It  may  well  express 
the  poet’s  feelings  as  he  closed  his  life  in  the 
garden  of  St.  Mary’s,  and  if  it  does  not,  it 
still  remains  an  eminently  orthodox  appendage 
to  his  writings,  and  must  have  been  accepted 
as  such  by  his  first  readers,  who  would  never 
have  thought  of  questioning  its  authenticity. 
Indeed,  doubt  was  almost  unknown  in  the  four¬ 
teenth  century.1 

XIV.  Good  Counsel  of  Chaucer.  A  poem  of 
twenty-eight  lines  in  praise  of  truth. 


1  In  all  of  the  above  remarks  upon  the  Canterbury  Tales,  it  has  been 
thought  best  not  to  criticise  the  arrangement  of  them,  nor  their  dis¬ 
tribution  through  the  four  days,  because  no  better  scheme  lias  yet 
been  worked  out,  and  this  one,  though  not  in  all  respects  satisfactory, 
has  a  certain  consistency  ;  besides,  the  entire  fabric  is  an  incomplete 
fable,  though  a  wonderfully  life-like  and  brilliant  one. 


lxxx  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

XV.  Prayer  to  the  Virgin.  A  religious  poem 
of  one  hundred  and  forty  lines,  which,  it  is  sug¬ 
gested,  may  have  been  composed  for  Queen 
Anne  of  Bohemia. 

XVI.  A  Proverb.  Eight  lines  teaching  that 
avarice  overreaches  itself. 

Eight  titles  are  assigned  to  the  fourth  period 
in  the  poet’s  life,  in  addition  to  five  of  the  Can¬ 
terbury  Tales. 

XVII.  A  Treatise  on  the  Astrolabe.  This  is 
entitled  Tractatus  de  Conclusionibus  Astrolabii , 
or  Bred  and  Mylk  for  Children.  It  is  a  prose 
description  of  the  instrument  and  its  use,  ad¬ 
dressed  to  the  poet’s  son,  Louis. 

XVIII.  The  Compleynt  of  Venus.  A  poem 
of  eighty-two  lines,  which  is  usually  printed 
with  the  “  Compleynt  of  Mars.” 

XIX.  Lines  to  Scogan.  A  poem  of  forty-nine 
lines  addressed  to  Elenry  Scogan,  a  courtier 
noted  for  his  wit,  who  is  mentioned  by  Shal¬ 
low,  in  “  2  King  Henry  IV.,”  iii.  2,  as  having 
had  his  head  broken. 

XX.  Lines  to  Bukton.  Thirty-two  lines  on 
the  subject  of  marriage,  in  which  the  Wife  of 
Bath  is  referred  to. 

XXI.  Gentilnesse.  A  ballad  of  twenty-one 


THE  POET  S  WORKS. 


lines,  in  which  Christ  is  exalted  as  “  the  first 
fader  and  finder  of  gentilness,”  an  idea  that  is 
enlarged  upon  by  the  Wife  of  Bath. 

XXII.  A  Ballad  sent  to  King  Picha?r7„ 
Twenty-eight  lines  bewailing  the  decline  of 
Steadfastness  and  lauding  Truth. 

XXIII.  Visage  sanz  Peinture.  A  ballad  of 
seventy-eight  lines.  It  seems  to  be  a  transla¬ 
tion  from  the  French,  and  is  a  complaint  of 
the  fickleness  of  Fortune.  It  may  have  been 
used  as  a  petition  for  office. 

XXIV.  Compleynte  to  his  Purse.  A  poem  of 
twenty-six  lines  addressed  to  King  Henry  IV., 
in  view  of  the  author’s  poverty. 

Attention  has  already  been  called  to  one  of 
the  most  important  results  of  the  establishment 
of  the  Chaucer  Society,  —  the  separation  of  the 
poet’s  authentic  works  from  those  which  have 
been  wrongly  attributed  to  him.  All  editions  of 
Chaucer  contain  some  compositions  that  are 
acknowledged  to  be  spurious.  The  edition  of 
John  Urry,  for  instance,  published  in  1721, 
comprises  more  than  two  spurious  titles  for 
every  one  that  is  authentic,  and  it  is  a  curious 
fact  that  a  number  of  them  are  assigned  to 
other  writers  in  the  volume  itself.  The  prose 
/ 


VOL.  I. 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


“  Testament  of  Love  ”  is  one  of  the  productions 
that  editors  have  most  persistently  retained,  on 
account  of  the  supposed  biographical  incidents 
that  it  contains,  though  the  best  critics  at  the 
present  refuse  to  believe  that  it  can  possibly  be 
one  of  the  poet’s  writings.  A  perusal  of  it 
would  seem  to  be  all  that  is  necessary  to  lead 
every  one  to  accept  this  conclusion. 

Two  spurious  tales  are  often  printed  among 
those  of  the  Canterbury  Pilgrims,  —  one  being 
assigned  to  the  Plowman  and' the  other  to  the 
Cook,  or,  more  appropriately,  to  the  Yeoman. 
The  latter  is  a  pleasant  story,  and  is  interesting 
because  it  was  possibly  in  the  mind  of  Shake¬ 
speare  when  he  wrote  “  As  you  Like  It.”  It  is 
the  story  of  “Gamelyn.” 

Another  poem  usually  included  with  Chau¬ 
cer’s  is  “  The  Complaint  of  a  Lover’s  Life,” 
which  Mr.  Skeat  says  “  is  now  known,  on  man¬ 
uscript  authority,  to  be  Lydgate’s ;  and  the 
critic  who  knows  Lydgate’s  style  will  not  dis¬ 
pute  this.”  For  various  reasons  ten  of  this 
class  of  poems  are  grouped  at  the  end  of  this 
edition. 

I.  The  Ro7iiaunt  of  the  Rose.  This  is  a  poem 
of  seven  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  lines,  translated  from  a  French  composi- 


the  poet’s  works.  lxxxiii 

tion  by  Guillaume  de  Lorris  and  Jean  de  Meun, 
one  of  whom  continued  the  work  of  the  other 
after  an  interval  of  some  thirty  years,  in  the 
thirteenth  century.  Two  thirds  of  the  original 
are  omitted  in  the  English  version  that  we 
have,  which  is  from  a  manuscript  of  the  fif¬ 
teenth  century.  Its  interest  to  us  consists  in 
the  fact  that  Chaucer  made  a  translation  of 
the  original,  though  the  version  now  extant  is 
by  another  hand. 

II.  The  Court  of  Love.  A  poem  of  one 
thousand  four  hundred  and  forty-lines,  written 
at  about  1500,  the  original  manuscript  being 
in  the  library  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 
It  is  spoken  of  by  its  author  as  a  little  treatise 
addressed  to  his  lady,  and  he  gives  in  it  an  ac¬ 
count  of  his  experience  at  the  court  of  Venus. 
It  ends  with  an  allegorical  paraphrase  of  the 
morning  service  for  Trinity  Sunday,  sung  by 
a  choir  of  birds  in  honor  of  the  god  of  Love. 

III.  The  Flower  and  the  Leaf.  A  poem  of 
five  hundred  and  ninety-five  lines,  written  prob¬ 
ably  at  about  1450,  in  the  allegorical  form, 
either  by  a  woman,  or  in  the  person  of  one. 

IV.  The  Cuckow  and  the  Nightingale.  A 
poem  of  three  hundred  and  seventeen  lines  in 
the  same  style  of  composition  as  the  one  just 


lxxxiv  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

mentioned,  embodying  the  sentiments  and  su¬ 
perstitions  connected  with  birds  and  flowers. 

V.  A  Goodly  Ballad.  Sixty-four  lines  ad¬ 
dressed  to  a  lady  apparently  named  Margaret. 

VI.  A  Praise  of  Women.  A  poem  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  lines. 

VII.  Chaucer's  Dream.  An  allegorical  poem 
of  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-five 
lines,  first  published  in  1598.  It  appears  to  be 
intended  merely  as  an  imitation  of  the  style 
and  language  of  Chaucer. 

VIII.  A  Virelay.  A  lyric  of  forty  lines. 

IX.  Chaucer’s  Prophecy.  Thirteen  lines  of 
doleful  foreboding,  ending  with  a  prayer. 

X.  Go  forth  King.  Sixteen  lines  of  moral 
advice  to  various  classes,  from  the  king  down¬ 
ward. 


V. 

The  genius  of  Chaucer  was  an  exceptional 
development  of  our  literature  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  and  there  is  but  one  author  among 
those  who  have  risen  since  whose  productions 
are  commanding  enough  to  make  us  wish  to 
modify  the  words  of  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  “  I 
know  not  whether  to  marvel  more,  either  that 
he  in  that  misty  age  could  see  so  clearly,  or 


THE  POET’S  GENIUS.  IxXXV 

that  we  in  this  clear  age  walk  so  stumblingly 
after  him.” 

Chaucer  furnishes  one  of  the  rare  instances 
in  which  the  contemporary  verdict  agrees  with 
that  pronounced  in  subsequent  times.  He  was 
immediately  appreciated  and  honored,  at  home 
as  well  as  abroad,  as  the  poet  of  his  country. 
The  prosy  Gower  saw  his  own  position  in  the 
ranks  of  authorship  made  less  prominent  as 
young  Chaucer  stepped  above  him,  and  he 
welcomed  his  rival  to  the  greater  honors,  sing¬ 
ing  in  his  “  Confessio  Amantis,”  that  even  in 
his  youth  Chaucer  had  filled  all  the  land  with 
the  fame  of  his  songs  and  ditties. 

From  over  the  Channel,  too,  the  poet  Eu- 
stache  Deschamps  sent  verses  in  which  he 
lauded  Chaucer  as  a  Socrates  in  philosophy, 
a  Seneca  in  morals,  an  Ovid  for  grace,  and  in 
conduct  an  angel,  —  as  one  who  by  his  noble 
style,  sweet  melody,  and  graceful  imagery  had 
already  made  Britain  illustrious  and  strewn  its 
language  with  flowers.  Eustachfi  was  probably 
thirty  or  forty  years  older  than  Chaucer,  and 
lauded  him  as  the  great  translator,  apparently 
for  his  version  of  the  “  Romaunt  of  the  Rose,” 
which  naturally  commended  him  to  a  French¬ 


man. 


lxxxvi  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

John  Lydgate,  the  mechanical  poet  of  Bury, 
was  a  younger  man  and  took  a  more  compre¬ 
hensive  view  of  Chaucer’s  works  ;  probably  he 
was  more  familiar  with  them.  He  did  not  for¬ 
get  his  prose,  and  made  special  mention  of  his 
translation  of  Boethius  and  his  treatise  on  the 
Astrolabe,  describing  the  latter  as  “  full  noble 
and  of  gret  prise.”  Lydgate  says  that  Chaucer 
was  the 

“  Floure  of  poetes  throughout  all  Bretaine,” 

gives  him  credit  for  a  lofty  moral  purpose, 
and  finally  says,  — 

“  Sith  he  of  English  of  making  was  the  best, 

Pray  unto  God  to  geve  his  soule  good  rest.” 

Thomas  Occleve,  a  little  older  than  Lydgate, 
is,  if  possible,  still  more  unstinted  in  his  praise, 
and  in  his  book,  “  De  Regimine  Principis,” 
bewails  Chaucer’s  death  in  stanzas  of  which 
the  following  lines  will  give  some  idea  :  — 

“  O  Dethe  !  thou  didest  not  harme  singulere 
In  slaughtre  of  hym,  but  alle  this  londe  it  smerteth ; 
But  natheles  yet  hast  thou  no  powere 
His  name  to  slee  ;  his  hye  vertu  asterteth 
Unslayne  fro  the.” 

The  list  of  Chaucer’s  eulogists  might  be 


THE  POET’S  GENIUS. 


lxxxvii 


extended  indefinitely,  but  his  fame  and  posi¬ 
tion  in  the  world  of  letters  are  too  well  estab¬ 
lished  to  make  anything  more  of  the  kind  nec¬ 
essary.  His  name  shone  bright  when  Spen¬ 
ser  took  him  for  his  master,  and  intervening 
time  had  made  it  only  the  more  natural  that 
in  our  very  day  William  Morris  should  do  the 
same.  The  hearty  words  of  this  last-mentioned 
poet  deserve  quotation.  He  says,  in  the  “  Life 
and  Death  of  Jason,”  book  xvii.  :  — 

“  Would  that  I 

Had  but  some  portion  of  that  mastery 
That  from  the  rose-hung  lanes  of  woody  Kent 
Through  these  five  hundred  years  such  songs  has  sent 
To  us,  who,  meshed  within  this  smoky  net 
Of  unrejoicing  labor,  love  them  yet. 

And  thou,  O  Master, — yea,  my  Master  still, 

Whatever  feet  have  scaled  Parnassus’  hill, 

Since,  like  thy  measures,  clear  and  sweet  and  strong, 
Thames’  stream  scarce  fettered  bore  the  bream  along 
Unto  the  bastioned  bridge,  its  only  chain,  — 

O  Master,  pardon  me,  if  yet  in  vain 
Thou  art  my  Master,  and  I  fail  to  bring 
Before  men’s  eyes  the  image  of  the  thing 
My  heart  is  filled  with  :  thou  whose  dreamy  eyes 
Beheld  the  flush  to  Cressid’s  cheeks  arise, 

As  Troilus  rode  up  the  pi'aising  street, 

As  clearly  as  they  saw  thy  townsmen  meet 
Those  who  in  vineyards  of  Poictou  withstood 
The  glittering  horror  of  the  steel-topped  wood.” 


Ixxxviii  THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 

As  we  'look  at  Chaucer  now  in  the  light  of 
his  jvorks,  we  find  it  difficult  to  think  of  him 
as  a  man  whose  career  closed  centuries  ago, 
for  his  pages  are  fresh  with  the  perfume  of 
flowers,  and  his  pictures  glow  with  a  life  and 
animation  as  real  as  that  which  we  see  around 
us  all  the  time.  He  had  the  heart  of  a  man, 
which  he  poured  out  in  human  sympathy.  We 
cannot  make  him  an  antique  in  his  scholarship, 
nor  in  his  mental  action.  He  is  “  our  learned 
Chaucer,”  no  less  than  he  was  Milton’s.  His 
words,  at  first  sight,  appear  ancient,  but  when 
we  come  to  understand  his  way  of  using  them 
they  lead  us  so  gayly  tripping  through  his  lines, 
and  are  so  limpid  and  simple,  both  in  prose 
and  in  verse,  that  we  wonder  why  men  have 
not  always  since  followed  his  literary  example. 
He  is  wise  and  skillful  as  an  artist,  but  he  is 
the  simplest  and  most  artless  of  story-tellers. 
He  is  picturesque  and  dramatic  in  his  manner 
of  putting  his  men  and  women  before  us.  He 
is  genial,  hearty,  and  sincere,  always  following 
artistic  and  moral  truth.  He  is  the  poet  of 
love  and  good-will,  and  cares  not  to  treat  of 
war  and  hate.  If  he  tells  the  story  of  Troy- 
lus  and  Cryseyde,  he  confines  his  attention  to 
their  love,  never  letting  the  seductive  possibil- 


THE  POET’S  GENIUS.  lxxxix 

ities  of  the  theme  draw  him  into  descriptions 
of  the  warriors  and  the  strife  which  Shake¬ 
speare  handled  with  such  surpassing  mastery. 

He  was  a  man,  and  therefore  had  the  hu¬ 
mors  of  a  man  ;  but  he  was  himself  most  com¬ 
pletely  when  the  sunshine  illumined  his  path 
and  gave  him  liberty  to  indulge  to  the  fullest 
his  love  of  wit  and  kindly  satire,  or  burlesque. 
It  is  pretty  safe  to  conclude,  as  some  one  has 
said,  that  in  his  soberer  passages  he  is  follow¬ 
ing  the  lead  of  “  myn  olde  auctor,”  of  “  Stace,” 
or  “  Boece,”  or  “  Daunt ;  ”  and  it  is  equally  sure 
that  in  his  passages  of  humor  he  is  following 
no  man’s  style,  but  only  permitting  his  own 
nature  to  play  with  his  theme,  or  indulging  in 
the  sly  and  subtle  strokes  which  no  “  auctor,” 
be  he  old  or  new,  could  have  imagined,  but 
Dan  Geoffrey  only. 

It  is  usual  to  say  that  our  poet  was  never 
melancholy  or  drooping,  and  it  is  true  enough 
if  he  is  considered  merely  as  the  author  of  the 
Canterbury  Tales.  It  must  not  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  it  was  the  same  Chaucer  whom 
we  have  heard  mourning  for  the  loss  of  the 
bliss  of  the  former  age,  and  moaning  as  he 
contemplated  the  lack  of  steadfastness  in  his 
own  time.  It  is  true  that  he  could  not  restrain 


xc 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


his  naive  humor  even  when  he  was  bitterly 
complaining  of  the  emptiness  of  his  purse,  but 
he  was  none  the  less  “  sory  ”  for  his  lack  of  the 
yellow  coins  that  his  necessities  humbled  him 
to  beg.  It  was  he  who  cried  out  in  view  of 
the  insufficiency  of  worldly  happiness,  — 

“  Here  is  none  home,  —  her  nys  but  wildernesse  ;  ” 

and  it  was  he  who  bewailed  the  death  of  Pity, 
and  said,  — 

“  Thus  for  youre  dethe  I  may  wel  wepe  and  pleyne 
With  herte  sore,  al  ful  of  busy  peyne.” 

Chaucer  could  rebuke  pretty  sharply,  and 
threaten  as  vigorously  as  a  sterner  man  when 
his  poor  scrivener,  Adam,  made  errors  in  his 
work. 

We  have  remarked  that  Chaucer’s  prose  was 
neither  inconsiderable  in  amount  nor  inferior 
in  style.  It  exhibits  few  of  the  traits  most 
commonly  attributed  to  him  as  an  author,  and 
is  the  work  of  a  translator,  who,  however,  felt 
free  to  enlarge,  compress,  or  alter  his  original 
in  accordance  with  his  object  or  his  taste. 

Chaucer’s  treatment  of  the  ecclesiastics  ac¬ 
cords  in  most  respects  with  the  fashion  of  the 
day,  as  seen  especially  in  the  “  Vision  of  Piers 
the  Plowman  ”  and  the  works  of  Wiclif,  though 


THE  POET’S  GENIUS.  Xci 

he  paints  in  glowing  colors  the  virtues  of  the 
Parson,  and  enlivens  the  whole  subject  with 
his  hearty  mirth.  The  Wife  of  Bath  speaks 
with  exquisite  irony  of 

“  The  grete  charite  and  preyeres 
Of  lymytours  and  other  holy  freres,” 

who  are  the  only  incubuses  in  the  land,  and  the 
“  holy  ”  men  are  in  many  passages  made  the 
butts  of  “  japes  ”  which  a  coarse  social  senti¬ 
ment  only  would  permit  the  recital  of. 

For  woman  Chaucer  has  many  harsh  or 
slighting  words,  such  as  his  age  called  for,  — 
such  as  every  age  demanded  until  man’s  help¬ 
mate  had  become  free  from  some  of  her  dis¬ 
abilities  and  been  given  a  fair  share  in  the  pro¬ 
duction  and  criticism  of  literature,  —  but  he 
compensated  for  the  rudeness,  in  some  meas¬ 
ure  at  least,  by  making  dame  Prudence,  in  his 
tale  on  the  pilgrimage,  stand  rather  above  her 
sweet-named  husband,  as  his  worthy  adviser,  as 
well  as  by  his  formal  apology  in  the  “  Legende 
of  Goode  Women.”  If  the  latter  was  a  per¬ 
functory  performance,  it  can  hardly  be  supposed 
that  anything  but  a  hearty  faith  prompted  the 
eulogy  of  matrimonial  bliss  in  the  Merchant’s 
Tale.  The  sympathetic  tears  must  have  trickled 
down  his  cheeks  as  he  traced  the  lines  describ¬ 
ing  the  pitiful  resignation  of  Griselda  when  she 


XC11 


THE  TIMES  AND  THE  POET. 


laid  on  her  lap  the  little  child  she  was  about 
to  lose, 

“  And  lulled  it,  and  after  gan  it  blisse.” 

It  was  no  anchorite  and  no  trifling  humorist 
who  wrote  the  tender  passage  setting  forth  the 
life  of  pious  Custance,  and  depicted  her  part¬ 
ing  from  her  babe  :  — 

“  Hir  litel  child  lay  wepyng  in  hir  arm, 

And  knelynge,  pitously  to  hym  she  seyde, 

‘  Pees,  litel  sone,  I  wol  do  thee  noon  harm  !  ’ 

With  that  hir  kerchef  of  hir  heed  she  breyde, 

And  over  hise  litel  eyen  she  it  leyde, 

And  in  hir  arm  she  lulleth  it  ful  faste, 

And  in-to  hevene  hire  eyen  up  she  caste.” 

It  was  no  stickler  for  conventionalities  who 
made  righteousness  the  standard  of  “  gentle¬ 
ness  ”  (nobility)  and  anticipated  Thomas  Dek- 
ker  in  pointing  to  Jesus  Christ  as 

“  The  first  true  gentleman  who  ever  breathed.” 
Chaucer’s  character  is  best  studied  in  his 
works,  but  the  student  must  have  an  acquaint¬ 
ance  with  his  times  and  with  the  active  share 
that  the  poet  took  in  the  national  movements. 
When  all  is  considered,  Chaucer  will  be  found 
a  well-rounded  man,  respectful  to  his  fellows 
and  reverential  to  his  God,  child-like  in  his 
simplicity,  and  manful  in  his  championship  of 
the  Truth. 

Cambridge,  May,  1879. 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


Many  readers  unfamiliar  with  Early  English 
find  themselves  repelled  from  Chaucer  by  the 
difficulties  they  see  in  the  ancient  construction 
and  orthography,  who  would  be  able  to  derive 
pleasure  from  his  works  if  they  had  a  few  easy 
rules  to  guide  them.  If  the  poems  be  modern¬ 
ized  the  charm  is  lost,  as  any  one  learns  when 
he  masters  the  subject,  and  no  thorough  stu¬ 
dent  of  Chaucer  whom  we  have  known  has 
been  willing  either  to  reduce  his  orthography 
to  uniformity,  or  to  write  his  poems  over  in  the 
fashion  of  to-day. 

It  is  true  that  Dryden  thought  it  necessary 
to  “  translate  ”  Chaucer  into  what  he  called 
the  refined  English  of  his  time,  though  he  con¬ 
fessed  that  “something  must  be  lost  in  all 
transfusion,  that  is,  in  all  translations.”  He 
considered  Chaucer  a  “  rough  diamond  ”  which 
needed  to  be  polished  before  it  would  shine, 
—  that  it  was  necessary  to  add  to  the  “  dig¬ 
nity”  of  Chaucer’s  productions  by  omitting 


XC1V 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


some  of  his  “  trivialities  ”  and  redundancies. 
Dryden  had  been  translating  Ovid,  and  consid¬ 
ered  that  he  was  doing  the  same  sort  of  work 
when  he  gave  a  seventeenth-century  form  to  a 
poet  who  wrote  in  the  fourteenth  century.  Let 
us  see  how  he  succeeded.  Take  ten  lines  from 
the  Knight’s  Tale  in  his  recension  and  com¬ 
pare  them  with  Chaucer.  Dryden  gives  us,  — 

“  In  days  of  old  there  lived,  of  mighty  fame, 

A  valiant  Prince,  and  Theseus  was  his  name  ; 

A  chief,  who  more  in  feats  of  arms  excelled, 

The  rising  nor  the  setting  sun  beheld. 

Of  Athens  he  was  lord  ;  much  land  he  won, 

And  added  foreign  countries  to  his  crown. 

In  Scythia  with  the  warrior  Queen  he  strove, 

Whom  first  by  force  he  conquered,  then  by  love  ; 

He  brought  in  triumph  back  the  beauteous  dame, 
With  whom  her  sister,  fair  Emilia,  came.” 

We  turn  to  Chaucer  and  read,  — 

“  Whilom,  as  olde  stories  tellen  us, 

Ther  was  a  due  that  highte  Theseus  ; 

Of  Atthenes  he  was  lord  and  governour, 

And  in  his  tyrne  swich  a  conquerour, 

That  gretter  was  ther  noon  under  the  sonne. 

Ful  many  a  riche  contree  hadde  he  wonne  ; 

That  with  his  wysdom  and  his  chivalrie 
He  conquered  al  the  regne  of  Femenye, 

That  whilom  was  ycleped  Scithia  ; 

And  weddede  the  queene  Ypolita, 


ON  READING  CHAUCER.  XCV 

And  broghte  hire  hoom  with  hym  in  his  contree 
With  muchel  glorie  and  greet  solempnytee, 

And  eek  hir  faire  suster  Emelye.” 

The  first  may  be  good  verse,  it  may  be  en¬ 
tertaining,  but  it  is  evidently  not  Chaucer. 
The  flavor,  the  “  bouquet  ”  of  the  old  writer 
has  fled.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  great 
knowledge  of  Old  English  is  needed  to  under¬ 
stand  the  second  extract.  The  only  word  over 
which  the  ordinary  reader  would  probably  hesi¬ 
tate  is  “  Femenye,”  and  a  little  thought  makes 
it  clear  that  “  al  the  regne  of  Femenye  ”  means 
all  the  kingdom,  or  realm,  of  the  Amazons,  or 
feminine  warriors,  of  which  Hippolita  was  sov¬ 
ereign. 

The  following  suggestions  are  mainly  con¬ 
densed  from  the  writings  of  Professor  Child,  of 
Harvard  University,  and  Mr.  Alexander  J.  Ellis, 
of  England.1 

I.  It  must  be  remembered  that  Chaucer 
wrote  before  the  days  of  printed  books,  that  he 
addressed  the  ear  rather  than  the  eye,  and  that 
the  scribes  whose  manuscripts  have  come  down 
to  us  indulged  in  much  orthographic '  variety. 
The  poems  were  read  to  others  by  persons  able 


1  See  Memoirs  of  the  A  merican  Academy ,  vols.  vii.,  ix. ;  and 
Early  English  Pronunciation ,  pt.  i.,  pp.  241-416.  The  latter  was 
published  by  the  Early  English  Text  Society  in  1867 


XCV1 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


to  recite  them  in  the  proper  rhythm,  and  who 
had  probably  greater  intellectual  attainments 
than  their  auditors.  A  word  that  appears 
strange  to  the  eye  is  often  very  clear  to. the  ear 
if  an  attempt  be  made  to  pronounce  it,  and 
this  is  especially  true  if  the  reader  understand 
the  sounds  of  the  vowels  in  the  fourteenth 
century. 

II.  Letters  are  often  reversed  in  order,  or 
changed,  as  in  tneve,  preve ,  chese ,  brest,  brid , 
crull, ,  thurgh ,  for  move,  prove,  choose,  burst, 
bird,  curl,  through. 

III.  The  definite  article  is  often  contracted 
by  the  omission  of  the  vowel,  and  joined  to  a 
word  following  that  begins  with  a  vowel,  as 
theffect ,  thencrese,  thencetis ,  the?ichauntementz ,  then- 
tre ,  for  the  effect,  the  increase,  the  incense,  the 
enchantments,  the  entrance. 

IY.  Y  stands  for  the  prefix  ge  (as  in  Ger¬ 
man)  ;  y-clept ,  y-haten,  for  named,  called. 

V.  Ch  is  used  where  k  is  now  written,  as  in 
seche ,  wirch ,  then  die,  yliche ,  schenche ,  for  seek, 
work,  think,  like,  skink. 

VI.  K  is  used  where  ch  now  occurs,  as  biseke 
for  beseech. 

VII.  W is  used  where  we  now  writer,  or  i, 
as  dawes,faw ,  i-slaw ,  for  days,  fain,  slain. 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


XCV11 


VIII.  D  sometimes  stands  for  th,  and  vice 
versa ,  as  fader ,  moder ,  weder,  whider ,  gadcr, 
r other,  for  father,  mother,  weather,  whither, 
gather,  rudder. 

IX.  Ne  negative  is  often  joined  to  the  fol¬ 
lowing  word,  as  I  not ,  I  nam ,  I  nas,  I  no/d \ 
for  I  know  not,  I  am  not,  I  was  not,  I  would 
not. 

X.  Two  negatives  are  often  used,  as  in  very 
Early  English,  as  11 1  nam  no  divinistref  I  am 
no  diviner. 

XI.  To  and  for  are  used  as  intensive  pre¬ 
fixes,  as  to-break,  for-spent ,  for-lorn ,  to  break 
to  pieces,  completely  used  up,  entirely  lost. 

XII.  Gesse  means  to  think,  as  in  New  Eng¬ 
land. 

XIII.  Do  means  to  cause,  as  do  to  deye,  don 
■wrought,  cause  to  die,  caused  to  be  made. 

XIV.  Eth  marks  the  imperative  mode,  as 
listeneth ,  listen. 

XV.  The  order  of  words  is  often  inverted, 
as  al  that  a  man  belongeth  unto ,  all  that  belong- 
eth  unto  a  man. 

XVI.  Many  words  are  apparently  contrac¬ 
tions,  as  feme ,  halwe ,  bet ,  ferre ,  foreign,  saint 
(hallowed),  better,  farther. 

XVII.  En ,  often  contracted  into  e ,  marks 
S 


VOL.  I. 


XCV111 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


the  infinitive  mode,  as  tellen ,  speken ,  speke,  for 
tell,  speak. 

XVIII.  Toon ,  tother,  atone ,  atwynne,  mean 
the  one,  the  other,  reconcile,  separate. 

XIX.  German  and  French  words  often  ex¬ 
plain  those  of  Chaucer,  as  7 cone,  dwell  (Ger¬ 
man,  wohnen ),  maugre ,  in  spite  of  (French,  mal- 
gre) ,  verray,  true  (French,  vrai),  purchas ,  any¬ 
thing  acquired  (French,  pourchasser). 

XX.  Many  contracted  forms  are  allowed, 
and  in  many  cases  a  foreign  pronunciation  is 
given  to  words,  as  wostow,  farforthly ,  somdel, 
parde ,  were,  which  mean  knowest  thou,  as  far 
forth  (far  forth  like),  some  deal,  par  dieux  (by 
the  gods),  who  were.  Glorie  (see  line  870), 1 
and  contrarie  (see  line  17,877),  are  sometimes 
pronounced  like  the  French  gloire  and  con- 
traire.  See  also  constable ,  line  5216.  Con¬ 
trarie  is  rhymed  with  debo?iaire  in  “  Troylus 
and  Cryseyde,”  i.  212,  214.  Coverchief  is  pro¬ 
nounced  in  two  syllables  at  line  272  of  the 
“  Parlement  of  Foules  ”  (where,  in  fact,  it  was 
so  written  by  the  scribe,  who  omitted  the  let¬ 
ters  er),  making  it  resemble  our  kerchief,  or 
the  French  •  couvrechef.  The  words  nevere  and 
levere  are  examples  of  the  same  contraction, 


1  The  references,  when  not  otherwise  indicated,  are  to  lines  of  the 
Canterbury  Tales. 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


XC1X 


the  letters  er  being  often  omitted  by  the  scribes 
and  by  the  reader,  as  in  lines  16,298,  16,307, 
and  many  others.  This  practice  was  not  uni¬ 
form.  In  line  732  the  scribe  contracts  evere , 
and  in  line  734  he  writes  never  in  full,  but 
without  the  final  e .  The  syllable  er  is  omitted 
by  the  scribe  in  the  following  cases,  in  the 
Ellesmere  MS. :  p^rturben,  line  906,  p<?rpetuel- 
ly,  line  1176,  P<?rotheus,  line  1205,  mercy,  line 
1 75 7,  prowrbe,  line  3391,  person,  line  3977, 
ortein,  line  4666.  Benedicite  is  sometimes 
pronounced  ben’cite,  as  at  lines  5592,  6396, 
17,028,  while  at  other  times  it  is  uttered  in 
full,  as  at  line  1785. 

XXI.  A  large  proportion  of  the  words  in 
Chaucer  that  appear  difficult  are  found  more 
fully  explained  in  the  dictionaries  of  Worces¬ 
ter  and  Webster  than  in  the  ordinary  editions 
of  the  poet’s  works. 

In  pronouncing  Chaucer  it  is  necessary  to 
remember  that  spelling  was  in  some  respects 
more  nearly  phonetic  than  it  now  is,  and  that 
syllables  now  unpronounced  were  formerly 
heard.  The  final  e  was,  for  example,  pro¬ 
nounced  in  many  cases,  and  in  verse  it  often 
perfects  the  metre  and  adds  to  the  musical 
effect. 


c 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


Mr.  Skeat  classes  the  final  e’s  as  (i)  Essen¬ 
tial,  (2)  Grammatical,  and  (3)  Superfluous. 

The  Essential  final  e  represents  an  Old  Eng¬ 
lish  or  Latin  termination,  as  stede  (O.  E.  stedd), 
diademe  (Latin,  diadema ). 

The  Grammatical  final  e  represents  a  dative 
or  a  genitive  case,  an  adjectival,  a  verbal,  or 
an  adverbial  form. 

The  Superfluous  final  e  is  added  by  license 
for  the  metre,  as  in  line  7960,  where  queene 
represents  the  O.  E.  cwen,  or  in  line  15,109, 
where  betwixe  is  the  O.  E.  betweox.  This 
license  was  also  used,  in  O.  E.  at  least,  in  the 
cases  of  cwen  and  betweox,  quoted  by  Mr.  Skeat. 
Cwene  is  found  in  the  “  Ancren  Riwle  ;  ”  betwixe 
in  Layamon,  a  century  before  Chaucer ;  cwena 
was  used  by  Alfred  the  Great  in  the  ninth 
century,  and  cwene  by  the  writer  of  the  Chron¬ 
icle,  in  the  eleventh  century. 

Mr.  Skeat’s  views  concerning  the  final  e  are 
essentially  those  of  Tyrwhitt,  Child,  Ellis,  and 
Morris.  Professor  Child  has  published  an 
elaborate  inquiry  into  its  use  in  the  paper 
contributed  to  the  “  Memoirs  of  the  American 
Academy,”  already  mentioned,  the  principal 
portions  of  which  are  incorporated  in  the  ex¬ 
tensive  work,  above  referred  to,  on  Early  Eng- 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


Cl 


lish  Pronunciation,  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  published  by 
the  Early  English  Text  and  Chaucer  Socie¬ 
ties. 

Exception  was  taken  to  the  views  of  Mr. 
Skeat  by  the  late  Professor  Joseph  Payne,  of 
the  Philological  Society,  whose  hypothesis  is 
presented  in  an  essay  published  by  the  Chau¬ 
cer  Society  in  1874.  Mr.  Payne  held  that 
“when  Chaucer  wrote  the  Canterbury  Tales, 
the  final  e  had  become  little  more  than  a 
modal  orthographic  note  of  spelling,  scarcely, 
if  at  all,  recognized  in  common  parlance,  while 
at  the  same  time  the  use  of  it  as  an  element 
of  rhythmical  composition  was  freely  admitted. 
It  was  therefore  adopted  at  the  will  of  the 
poet,  wherever  thought  necessary,  in  the  mid¬ 
dle  of  his  verse  (except  at  the  sectional  pause, 
where  as  a  rule  it  was  silent),  but  not  at  the 
end,  where  it  was  unnecessary.” 

There  is  little  difficulty  with  regard  to  the 
consonants,  though  the  following  hints  will  be 
of  service. 

C  is  hard  before  a,  0,  u ,  and  consonants,  as 
cow,  clerk;  soft  before  e,  i,  and  y,  as  cell ,  city ; 
and  never  sh ,  as  in  vicious,  which  should  be 
pronounced  vi-si-us. 


di  ON  READING  CHAUCER. 

Ch  is  always  hard,  as  in  cheese ,  and  is  some¬ 
times  sounded  like  k,  in  words  from  the  Greek, 
as  christen. 

S  final  was  frequently  sharp,  as  in  hiss.  It 
was  never  sounded  like  sh,  or  zh ,  as  in  vision, 
which  was  pronounced  in  three  syllables. 

lion,  sion,  cion,  were  pronounced  si-on. 

U  consonant  is  equivalent  to  v,  though  the 
use  of  u  and  v  is  irregular  in  the  MSS.,  and  is 
not  followed  in  the  present  text. 

Y  consonant  has  the  sound  of  y  in  yet ,  but  y 
vowel  was  usually  sounded  like  i  in  pin. 

The  chief  vowel  sounds  are  the  following  :  — 

A  long  is  equivalent  to  a  in  father,  alms. 
The  sound  of  a  in  same  did  not  arise  till  two 
centuries  after  Chaucer. 

A  short  is  like  no  sound  now  heard  in  re¬ 
ceived  English.  It  is  the  continental  short  a, 
heard  in  the  French  chat. 

Aa  is  equivalent  to  a  long,  above. 

Ai  is  equivalent  to  ah’ee.  The  sound  in  wait 
is  modern. 

An,  aw,  are  equivalent  to  ah'oo  (not  as  in 
Paul). 

Ay  is  equivalent  to  ah]ee,  as  ai  above. 

E  long  is  equivalent  to  ai  in  pair,  e  in  there. 

E  short  is  equivalent  to  e  in  met. 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


cm 


Ea  is  equivalent  to  ea  in  break.  The  sound 
in  seal  is  modern. 

Ee  is  equivalent  to  e  in  there. 

Ei,  ey,  are  equivalent  to  ah'ee,  as  in  aye 
’  now. 

Eo  is  equivalent  to  e  in  there;  not  as  in 
people. 

Es  final  is  generally  pronounced. 

Eu,  ew,  are  equivalent  to  ui,  or  the  German 
ii,  or  the  French  long  u. 

Ge  final,  or  before  a  or  o  in  French  words, 
is  equivalent  to  j.  Sometimes  the  e  of  ge  final 
was  omitted. 

I  long  is  equivalent  to  ee  in  meek ,  nearly. 
The  present  sound  of  i  in  sine  was  never  given 
to  that  letter,  but  was  represented  by  y.1 

I  short  is  equivalent  to  i  in  pit. 


1  In  an  essay  published  by  the  Chaucer  Society  in  1878,  entitled 
“  Here  ”  and  “  There"  in  Chaucer ,  by  R.  F.  Weymouth,  Doctor  of 
Literature,  the  conclusions  of  Mr.  Ellis  regarding  the  sounds  of  e,  i, 
ei,  and  ai  are  excepted  to  at  considerable  length.  Mr.  Weymouth  ar¬ 
gues  (1)  that  “  1  here  ’  and  the  words  that  rhyme  with  it  were  probably 
sounded  in  Chaucer’s  time  with  the  same  vowel  as  in  the  present 
day;”  (2)  “  that  i  in  Chaucer’s  time  was  diphthongal,  or  approaching 
the  sound  that  symbol  still  represents  in  ”  mine ,  drive  ;  (3)  that 
ai  and  ei  were  equivalent  to  ey  in  they ,  ay  in  day.  Mr.  Weymouth 
considers  that  the  words  rhyming  with  “  here  ”  and  “  there  ”  in 
Chaucer  fall  into  two  classes,  which  rhyme  among  themselves  only, 
the  exceptions  (out  of  the  twelve  hundred  and  forty-six  cases  in 
Chaucer)  being  eighty-nine,  or  a  little  over  seven  per  cent., — less 
than  the  percentage  of  imperfect  rhymes  in  Cowper,  Byron,  Keats, 
Scott,  Morris,  and  other  modern  poets.  The  words  that  he  finds 
most  frequently  rhyming  with  “here  ”  are  dere,  deer,  manere,  ma- 
iere,  bachiler,  bokeler,  neer,  fere  (companion),  appeere,  peer,  coin- 
peer,  spere  (sphere),  frere,  emispere,  lere  Among  those  rhyming 
with  “  there  ”  are  were,  bear,  forbear,  here  (her),  spere  (spear),  swere, 
fere  (fear),  ere  (ear),  where. 


CIV 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


Ie  is  equivalent  to  e  in  there.  The  sound  in 
sieve  is  modern. 

O  long  is  equivalent  to  oa  in  boar.  Oo  had 
the  same  value. 

O  short  is  equivalent  to  o  in  got ,  nearly. 

Oi  is  equivalent  to  oo'ee,  as  in  wooing ,  nearly. 

Ou  had  three  sounds  :  — 

1.  Oo  in  boot  was  the  most  common,  as  in 
scho tires,  flour,  pourchase ,  south,  ploughman,  pro¬ 
nounced  shoo'ress,  floor ,  poorchass,  sooth,  plooch- 
man.  In  the  last  example  ch  stands  for  the 
sound  of  ch  in  the  Scotch  loch,  and  the  German 
licht. 

2.  U  in  pull,  put.  This  is  not  very  common, 
but  is  found  in  boticleer,  of  which  the  last  sylla¬ 
ble  is  sounded  like  ere  in  there. 

3.  Ou  in  soul,  ow  in  snow.  This  is  found  in 
words  having  aw,  or  ow  in  very  Early  English. 
Yknow ,  though,  i-kno-oo,  tho  oo-ch. 

Ow  has  the  sounds  of  ou  just  mentioned. 

U  long  is  equivalent  to  the  German  ii  and 
occurs  in  French  words  only.  The  u  in  tune 
comes  near  it. 

U  short  is  equivalent  to  u  in  bull,  never  u  in 
bat. 

IV  vowel  is  equivalent  to  u,  or  00,  as  wile, 
herberwe,  oode,  herberoo. 


ON  READING  CHAUCER. 


CV 


In  compiling  these  brief  directions  the  effort 
has  been  to  make  them  as  simple  and  compre¬ 
hensive  as  possible.  In  reading  Chaucer  it 
should  be  remembered  that  even  the  writers  of 
the  present  day  cannot  all  be  understood  fully 
without  a  dictionary.  Many  of  the  words  used 
by  Emerson,  Browning,  or  Ruskin  are  not  com¬ 
pletely  comprehended  by  the  ordinary  reader  at 
first  sight.  When  Mr.  Lowell  writes  of  the 
“  secular  leisures  of  Methuselah,”  it  is  prob¬ 
able  that  all  do  not  immediately  understand 
him  to  use  the  word  “  secular  ”  in  its  primary 
sense  ;  and  when  Mr.  Longfellow  entitled  his 
lines  to  Tennyson  “  Wapentake,”  not  a  few 
were  surprised  to  find  the  word  in  their  diction¬ 
aries.  It  is  by  no  means  strange  if  we  meet 
many  words  that  we  do  not  fully  understand  in 
a  poet  who  lived  half  a  millennium  ago.  The 
real  wonder  is  that  we  can  read  Chaucer  as 
readily  as  we  can.  He  is  much  more  easily 
read  than  is  the  “  Vision  concerning  Piers  the 
Plowman,”  of  the  same  date. 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS  AND  DI¬ 
VISIONS  OF  TIME. 


An  acquaintance  with  the  terms  of  astrology 
and  with  the  nomenclature  of  divisions  of  time 
in  use  in  the  fourteenth  century  is  a  help  to  the 
understanding  of  many  passages  in  Chaucer. 
Much  light  has  been  thrown  on  these  subjects 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Skeat,  in  his  edition  of  Chau¬ 
cer’s  treatise  on  the  Astrolabe,  and  by  Mr. 
Furnivall  in  his  “Trial  Forewords  to  Chaucer’s 
Minor  Poems,”  from  which  the  following  re¬ 
marks  have  been  compiled. 

The  astrologers  seemed  to  derive  from  Aris¬ 
totle  the  notion  that  the  heavenly  bodies  were 
ensouled,  and  that  a  power  flowed  out  from 
them  to  affect  human  beings.  The  translators’ 
expression  “  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades  ”  (Job 
xxxviii.  31)  is  a  relic  of  this  belief.  Upon  the 
relative  positions  of  the  planets  were  founded 
predictions  and  rules  for  action. 

Houses ,  Mansions ,  Lords.  —  The  celestial 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CV11 


sphere  was  divided  into  twelve  equal  portions 
by  six  circles  which  passed  through  the  north 
and  south  points  of  the  horizon.  Two  of 
the  circles  were  the  meridian  and  the  horizon. 
The  portions  were  called  Houses  or  Mansions. 
Each  House  is  assigned  to  one  of  the  heavenly 
bodies,  which  is  called  its  Lord. 

Exaltation.  —  The  Exaltation  of  a  planet  is 
that  degree  of  a  sign  in  which  it  has  its  great¬ 
est  power. 

Dejection.  —  The  Dejection  of  a  planet  is  the 
sign  opposite  its  Exaltation. 

Combust.  —  A  planet  is  said  to  be  combust 
when  it  is  so  near  the  sun  as  to  have  its  own 
light  extinguished.  “Troylus  and  Cryseyde,” 
iii.  717. 

Fall.  —  The  Fall  of  a  planet  is  the  sign  op¬ 
posite  its  Mansion. 

1.  Aries  is  the  mansion  of  Mars,  and  the 
exaltation  of  the  Sun. 

2.  Taurus  is  the  mansion  of  Venus,  and  the 
exaltation  of  the  Moon. 

3.  Gemini  is  the  mansion  of  Mercury,  and 
the  exaltation  of  the  Dragon’s  Head. 

4.  Cancer  is  the  mansion  of  the  Moon,  and 
the  exaltation  of  Jupiter. 

5.  Leo  is  the  mansion  of  the  Sun,  and  the 
exaltation  of  none. 


CV111 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


6.  Virgo  is  the  mansion  of  Mercury,  and  the 
exaltation  of  Mercury. 

7.  Libra  is  the  mansion  of  Venus,  and  the 
exaltation  of  Saturn. 

8.  Scorpio  is  the  mansion  of  Mars,  and  the 
exaltation  of  none. 

9.  Sagittarius  is  the  mansion  of  Jupiter,  and 
the  exaltation  of  the  Dragon’s  Tail. 

10.  Capricorn  is  the  mansion  of  Saturn,  and 
the  exaltation  of  Mars. 

11.  Aquarius  is  the  mansion  of  Saturn,  and 
the  exaltation  of  none. 

12.  Pisces  is  the  mansion  of  Jupiter,  and 
the  exaltation  of  Venus. 

This  arrangement  is  that  of  Mr.  Skeat 
(compiled  from  Raphael’s  “  Manual  of  As¬ 
trology,”  London,  1828)  ;  but  Mr.  Brae,  an¬ 
other  editor  of  Chaucer’s  “  Astrolabe,”  dis¬ 
sents  from  it. 

The  Houses  have  also  the  following  names  : 
I.  The  House  of  Life  ;  II.  Of  Riches  ;  III.  Of 
Brothers  ;  IV.  Of  Parents ;  V.  Of  Children  ; 
VI.  Of  Health;  VII.  Of  Marriage ;  VIII.  Of 
Death;  IX.  Of  Religion;  X.  Of  Dignities; 
XI.  Of  Friends  ;  XII.  Of  Enemies. 

Powers  of  the  Houses.  —  Each  of  the  Houses 
has  a  different  Power,  the  first,  the  House  of 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


C1X 


Life,  the  Mansion  of  Mars,  the  Exaltation  of 
the  Sun,  being  the  greatest. 

Aspects.  —  There  were  five  Aspects,  or  angu¬ 
lar  distances  between  planets,  with  individual 
qualities  :  — 

1.  Conjunction,  indifferent. 

2.  Sextile,  benignant. 

3.  Quartile,  malignant. 

4.  Trine,  benignant  or  propitious. 

5.  Opposition,  malignant  or  adverse. 

Angles.  —  Four  of  the  Houses  were  called 

Angles.  Aries  was  called  the  Angle  of  the 
East,  Capricorn  of  the  South,  Libra  of  the 
West,  and  Cancer  of  the  North.  Next  in 
“  power  ”  of  the  Houses  came  the  Succedents, 
Taurus,  Aquarius,  Leo.  The  last  are  the  Ca- 
dents,  Gemini,  Pisces,  Sagittarius,  Scorpio, 
Virgo.  The  “  Angle  meridional,”  or  south¬ 
ern  Angle  (line  15,039),  the  tenth  Plouse,  cor¬ 
responded,  at  the  equinox,  with  the  time  from 
ten  o’clock  to  noon. 

Spheres.  —  The  spheres  were  the  spaces  in 
which  the  celestial  bodies  were  supposed  to 
move.  The  first  was  that  of  the  Moon,  the 
second  that  of  Mercury,  the  third  that  of 
Venus,  the  fourth  that  of  the  Sun,  the  fifth 
that  of  Mars,  the  sixth  that  of  Jupiter,  the 


cx 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


seventh  that  of  Saturn,  the  eighth  that  of  the 
fixed  stars,  the  ninth  the  Primum  Mobile , 
which  has  a  very  rapid  motion  and  produces 
the  alternations  of  day  and  night.  This  was 
the  system  of  Ptolemy,  Dante,  and  Milton. 
See  “  Parlement  of  Foules,”  line  59  ;  “  Troylus 
and  Cryseyde,”  v.  1823. 

Nativity.  —  A  representation  of  the  position 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  at  the  moment  of  one’s 
birth. 

The  Seven  Planets  were  Saturn,  Jupiter,  Mars, 
the  Sun,  Venus,  Mercury,  and  the  Moon. 

Seven  metals  belonged  to  the  seven  planets, 
namely :  Saturn,  lead  ;  Mars,  iron  ;  the  Sun, 
gold;  Venus,  copper;  Mercury,  quicksilver; 
the  Moon,  silver.  (Cf.  lines  17,222-17,229.) 
Quicksilver  is  still  mercury  ;  nitrate  of  silver  is 
lunar  caustic ;  the  sun  has  golden  beams ; 
Mars  suggests  iron  or  strength  ;  the  dull,  slow 
motion  of  Saturn,  lead  ;  and  Venus  and  cop¬ 
per  (Latin,  cuprum)  are  connected  with  Cy¬ 
prus. 

Qualities  of  the  Planets.  —  Saturn  was  cold ; 
Saturn  and  Mars,  dangerous ;  Jupiter,  Venus, 
and  the  Moon,  temperate  and  benignant ;  the 
Sun  and  Mercury,  variable. 

Triplicity  was  a  combination  of  three  signs 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CXI 


in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  each  being  one  hun¬ 
dred  and  twenty  degrees. 

Classes  of  ihe  Signs.  —  I.  Movable  :  Aries, 
Cancer,  Libra,  Capricorn.  II.  Fixed :  Taurus, 
Leo,  Scorpio,  Aquarius.  III.  Common  :  Gem¬ 
ini,  Virgo,  Sagittarius,  Pisces.  IV.  Diurnal  or 
Masculine  :  Aries,  Gemini,  Leo,  Libra,  Sagitta¬ 
rius,  Aquarius.  V.  Nocturnal  or  Feminine  : 
Taurus,  Cancer,  Virgo,  Scorpio,  Capricorn, 
Pisces.  VI.  Northern  or  Sinister  (left-hand, 
because  the  observer  looked  toward  the  east, 
or  ascendent)  :  Aries,  Taurus,  Gemini,  Cancer, 
Leo,  Virgo.  VII.  Southern  or  Dexter  (right- 
hand)  :  Libra,  Scorpio,  Sagittarius,  Capricorn, 
Aquarius,  Pisces.  VIII.  Western,  Right,  Sov¬ 
ereign,  or  Direct  :  Cancer,  Leo,  Virgo,  Libra, 
Scorpio,  Sagittarius.  IX.  Eastern,  Obedient, 
Tortuous,  or  Oblique  :  Capricorn,  Aquarius, 
Pisces,  Aries,  Taurus,  Gemini. 

Divisions  of  the  Signs.  —  Equal  divisions  of 
signs  were  called  Faces,  of  which  there  were 
three.  Unequal  divisions  were  called  Terms. 

Collect  Years ,  in  the  Alphonsine  Astronom¬ 
ical  Tables,  are  certain  sums  of  years  with  the 
motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies  correspond¬ 
ing  to  them,  as  20,  40,  60,  arranged  in  tables. 
Cf.  line  16,05 1. 


CX11 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


Expanse  Years  are  the  single  years  with  the 
answering  motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  be¬ 
ginning  at  one,  and  continuing  to  the  smallest 
collect  sum. 

Radix  or  Root.  —  Any  certain  time  taken  at 
pleasure  as  a  basis  for  computation. 

Argument.  —  An  arc  by  which  an  unknown 
and  dependent  arc  is  sought,  or  the  angle  on 
which  a  tabulated  quantity  depends. 

Kalends.  —  The  first  day  of  the  month,  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  Roman  calendar,  therefore  the 
beginning  of  anything.  See  “  Troylus  and 
Cryseyde,”  ii.  7. 

Nones.  —  The  fifth  day  of  the  Roman  months, 
excepting  March,  May,  July,  and  October,  when 
it  was  the  seventh. 

Ides.  —  The  ides,  according  to  the  Roman 
calendar,  fell  on  the  13th  of  the  months,  ex¬ 
cepting  March,  May,  July,  and  October,  in 
which  it  fell  on  the  15th.  See  line  14,823. 

The  Platonic  Year.  —  In  the  space  of  twenty- 
six  thousand  years  the  stars  and  constellations 
were  considered  to  make  an  entire  revolution 
about  a  centre.  The  Annus  Magnus  of  the 
Egyptians  was  thirty  thousand,  and  of  the 
Arabians  forty-nine  thousand  years.  It  is  re¬ 
ferred  to  in  the  “  Parlement  of  Foules,”  line  67. 

Day  Natural.  —  Twenty-four  hours. 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CX111 


Day  Artificial.  —  From  sunrise  to  sunset. 

The  Hours  of  the  artificial  day  and  night 
were  assigned  to  the  Seven  Planets  in  the 
order  in  which  they  stand  above.  This  will 
explain  lines  2217,  2367,  the  hour  of  Venus, 
in  the  first  case,  being  Monday  two  hours  be¬ 
fore  sunrise,  and  that  of  Mars,  in  the  second, 
being  the  fourth  after  sunrise.  The  third  hour 
is  called  “inequal”  in  line  2271  because,  the 
day  being  artificial,  the  divisions  varied  at  dif¬ 
ferent  seasons  of  the  year.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  it  was  the  hour  of  Luna  the  Moon,  or 
Diana. 

Prime  is  a  word  applied  with  some  loose¬ 
ness,  but  meaning  the  end  of  the  first  quarter 
of  the  day,  or  about  nine  o’clock.  We  meet 
the  expressions  high  prime ,  prime  large,  passed 
prime,  half  prime,  half-way  prime,  ?iot  fully 
prime.  See  lines  2189,  3554,  3906,  5700,  5818, 
6 43 7)  9736,  11,518,  14,193,  and  others. 

Underlie  is  applied  to  the  same  hour  as 
prime ,  and  to  a  meal  taken  in  the  forenoon. 

Undermele  was  the  time  after  dinner,  that 
meal  being  taken  at  prime  or  underlie. 

Compline.  —  The  last  of  the  hours  in  the 
Breviary,  said  just  before  retiring.  (Lat.  com- 
pletorium,  Fr.  complied)  See  lines  4171,  18,629. 
h 


VOL.  I. 


CX1V 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


Astrolabe.  —  An  instrument  used  in  making 
a  variety  of  observations  and  calculations  with 
reference  to  the  zodiac  and  the  heavenly  bod¬ 
ies.  Chaucer  compiled  a  treatise  upon  its  use, 
which  he  addressed  to  his  son  Louis,  in  1391. 
See  line  3209. 

Chilyndre.  —  A  rude  and  inaccurate  instru¬ 
ment  for  measuring  time,  called  also  the  trav¬ 
eler’s  dial.  It  consisted  of  a  cylindrical  piece 
of  wood  pierced  by  a  central  perpendicular 
bore  (through  which  a  cord  passed  upon  which 
it  hung),  having  a  movable,  rotary  lid,  and 
marked  with  tables  and  spaces  adapted  to  its 
use.  See  line  5818.  It  was  fairly  accurate 
during  the  summer  months. 


The  following  lines1  are  some  of  those  ex¬ 
plained  by  the  above  definitions  :  — 

The  yonge  sonne 

8  Hath  in  the  Ram  his  halfe  cours  yronne. 

In  April,  as  the  Astrolabe  shows,  the  sun  runs 
a  half-course  in  Aries  and  a  half-course  in 
Taurus,  and  the  expression  in  the  text  means 
that  it  was  past  the  nth  of  April.  The  sun 

1  Mr.  Skeat,  in  his  edition  of  Chaucer’s  Astrolabe ,  published  by 
the  Chaucer  Society  in  1872,  gives  full  elucidation  of  most  of  these 
passages,  and  deserves  all  the  credit. 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS.  CXV 

was  “  yon ge  ”  because  it  had  passed  through 
but  one  sign  since  its  course  began,  at  the  ver¬ 
nal  equinox. 

1087  Som  wikke  aspect  or  disposicioun 
Of  Saturne,  by  sum  constellacioun. 

1328  But  I  moot  been  in  prisoun  thurgh  Saturne. 

2453  “My  deere  doghter  Venus,”  quod  Saturne, 

“  My  cours,  that  hath  so  wyde  for  to  turne.” 

2469  My  lookyng  is  the  fader  of  pestilence. 

The  influence  of  Saturn  was  cold  and  danger¬ 
ous,  and  he  was  called  a  wicked  or  unfortu¬ 
nate  planet. 

1462  In  May, 

The  thridde  nyght. 

1536  Right  so  kan  geery  Venus  over-caste 
The  hertes  of  hir  folk,  right  as  hir  day 
Is  gereful. 

1850  And  this  day  fifty  wylces,  —  fer  ne  ner. 

621  Right  as  his  happy  day  was,  sothe  to  seyneT 

Palamon  broke  out  of  prison  on  Friday,  May 
4th,  before  one  a.  m.,  and  the  duel  was  fought 
the  next  day,  presided  over  by  wicked  Saturn, 
which  caused  the  duelists  to  be  unfortunate. 
The  tournament  was  fixed  for  one  year  aft¬ 
erwards,  that  is,  Sunday,  May  5th.  The  tenth 
hour  inequal  of  Sunday  night,  being  the  second 


1  Troylus  and  Cryseyde ,  ii.  621. 


CXV1 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


before  sunrise  of  Monday,  was  dedicated  to 
Venus,  to  whose  temple  Palamon  accordingly 
went.  The  third  hour  subsequent  to  this,  be¬ 
ing  the  first  after  sunrise  on  Monday,  was  ded¬ 
icated  to  Luna,  or  Diana,  to  whose  temple  Em¬ 
ily  went.  The  third  hour  after  this,  being  the 
fourth  after  sunrise,  was  dedicated  to  Mars,  to 
whose  temple  Arcite  went.  All  Monday  was 
devoted  to  jousts  and  dances,  and  on  Tuesday, 
the  day  of  Mars,  the  tournament  took  place. 
“  Mars  hath  his  wille,”  line  2669.  May  5th 
occurred  on  Sunday  in  1387,  and  it  was  the 
opinion  of  Sir  Harris  Nicolas  that  the  Can¬ 
terbury  Tales  were  written  after  1386.  The 
last  quotation  shows  the  use  of  “his  day”  as 
applied  to  a  man.  It  was  the  happy  day  of 
Troylus. 

1559  Allas,  thou  felle  Mars  !  alias,  Juno  ! 

2021  Noght  was  forgeten  by  the  infortune  of  Marte. 

2035  By  manasynge  of  Mars,  right  by  figure. 


Mars  being  a  wicked  planet,  it  was  inauspi¬ 
cious  or  threatening  if  in  the  ascendent  or 
in  the  horoscope,  which  is  the  degree  of  the 
zodiac  seen  upon  the  eastern  horizon  at  the 
time  of  observation. 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CXV11 


2037  As  is  depeynted  in  the  sterres  above. 

4616  For  in  the  sterres,  clerer  than  is  glas. 

14,306  The  hevene  stood,  that  tyme  fortunaat. 

These  references  are  explained  above. 

2059  And  after  was  she  maad  the  loode-sterre. 

The  misconception  involved  in  this  line  is 
mentioned  in  the  notes. 

2217  And  in  hir  houre  he  walketh  forth  a  paas. 

2271  The  thridde  houre  in-equal  that  Palamon. 

2367  The  nexte  houre  of  Mars  folwynge  this. 

These  references  to  the  hours  of  the  planets 
are  explained  above. 

3193  And  koude  a  certeyn  of  conclusiouns. 

3208  His  Almageste,  and  bookes  grete  and  smale, 

His  astrelabie,  longynge  for  his  art, 

His  augrym  stones,  layen  faire  a  part. 

In  these  things  and  in  the  conclusions  of  the 
horoscope  Chaucer  declares  his  disbelief  at 
line  3454,  and  in  his  work  on  the  Astrolabe. 

3516  A  Monday  next,  at  quarter  nyght, 

Shal  falle  a  reyn. 

That  is,  at  the  sixteenth  hour  since  Monday 
began,  which  was  the  hour  of  Saturn,  the  un- 
propitious. 


CXV111 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


4427  He  wiste  it  was  the  eightetethe  day. 

4436  It  was  ten  at  the  clokke,  he  gan  conclude. 

The  calculations  of  Mr.  Skeat  and  others  prove 
that  Chaucer  wrote  “  eightetethe  ”  here,  and  not 
another  date  as  some  editors  have  supposed, 
and  add  weight  to  Mr.  Furnivall’s  opinion  that 
(the  pilgrimage  having  begun  on  the  16th  of 
April)  the  tale  of  the  Man  of  Law  began  the 
second  day’s  series  of  tales. 

4717  O  firste  moevyng,  crueel  firmament, 

With  thy  diurnal  sweigh  that  crowdest  ay. 

And  hurlest  al  from  Est  til  Occident, 

That  naturelly  wolde  holde  another  way. 

The  primam  mobile  was  the  ninth  sphere,  in¬ 
cluding  all  the  others  and  giving  motion  to 
them  from  east  to  west,  contrary  to  that  of  the 
fixed  stars,  which,  according  to  Ptolemy,  moved 
slowly  the  other  way.  Dante  likewise  makes 
the  primum  mobile  the  ninth  sphere,  in  which 
is  the  Divine  Mind  alone.  “  Paradiso,”  xxvii. 
1 10  ;  xxviii.  70. 

4724  Infortunat  ascendent  tortuous. 

The  tortuous  or  crooked  signs  were  from  Cap¬ 
ricorn  to  Gemini ;  Pisces,  and  Aries,  the  house 
of  Mars,  being  the  most  tortuous.  The  Moon 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CX1X 


was  likewise  far  from  its  best  position  at  the 
time  referred  to. 

4734  Of  viage  is  ther  noon  eleccioun.  .  .  . 

Noght  whan  a  roote  is  of  a  burthe  yknowe  ? 

That  is,  may  not  persons  able  to  employ  astrol¬ 
ogers,  or  “  philosophres,”  choose  the  time  for 
their  journeys,  when  the  radix  of  a  birth  is 
known  ? 

And  also  blisful  Venus,  wel  arayed, 

Sat  in  hire  seventhe  hous  of  hevene  tho, 
Disposed  wel,  and  with  aspectes  payed 
To  helpen  sely  Troylus  of  his  wo  ; 

And  soth  to  seyn,  she  nas  nat  al  a  fo 
To  Troylus,  in  his  nativitee  ; 

God  woot  that  wele  the  sonner  spedde  he.1 

8467  By  nature  he  knew  eche  ascencioun. 

Compare,  also,  lines  8799-8802,  8805-8811. 
Mr.  Skeat  says  that  the  cock  crew  every  hour 
(fifteen  degrees  making  an  hour).  It  was  May 
3d,  March  was  complete,  and  thirty  two  days 
more  had  passed.  Calculations  prove  that 
“  prime  ”  at  this  date  was  nine  a.  m.,  though, 
as  has  been  said,  the  term  was  us.ed  loosely. 

10,655  Myn  ascendent  was  Taur  and  Mars  ther-inne. 
10,661  Yet  have  I  Martes  mark  up-on  my  face. 

Taurus,  the  mansion  of  Venus,  was  in  the  as- 

1  Troylus  and  Cryseyde ,  ii.  680-686. 


cxx 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


cendent  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  the  Wife  of 
Bath.  See  the  “  Compleynt  of  Mars.” 

10,745  Mercurie  is  desolat 

In  Pisces,  wher  Venus  is  exaltat ; 

And  Venus  falleth  ther  Mercurie  is  reysed. 

The  exaltation  of  Venus  is  in  Pisces,  which  is 
the  dejection  of  Mercury,  and  the  exaltation  of 
Mercury  is  in  Virgo,  which  is  the  dejection  of 
Venus,  the  signs  being  exactly  opposite. 

14,221  The  moone,  that  at  noon  was  thilke  day 
That  Januarie  hathe  wedded  fresshe  May 
In  two  of  Tawr,  was  into  Cancre  glyden! 

Mr.  Tyrwhitt  changed  two  to  ten  -because  he 
thought  it  impossible  that  the  moon  should 
move  from  the  second  degree  of  Taurus  to  the 
first  of  Cancer  in  four  days.  Subsequent  cal¬ 
culators  decide,  however,  that  Chaucer  was 
correct. 

14,468  Er  that  dayes  eighte 

Were  passed  er  the  monthe  of  Juyn  bifille. 

14,558  He  was  that  tyrne  in  Geminis,  as  I  gesse, 

But  litel  fro  his  declynacioun 
Of  Cancer,  Jovis  exaltacioun. 

The  sun  enters  Cancer  about  June  12th,  and 
the  fact  shows  that  Juyn  and  not  Juyl  should 
be  the  reading  in  the  first  passage.  The  sun 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CXXl 


attains  its  maximum  northern  declination  on 
entering  Cancer,  at  the  summer  solstice,  in 
June,  not  July.  Cancer  is  the  exaltation  of 
Jupiter  and  the  dejection  of  Mars. 

14,823  The  last  Idus  of  March  after  the  yeer. 

Phebus,  the  sonne,  ful  joly  was  and  cleer, 

For  he  was  neigh  his  exaltacioun 
In  Martes  face,  and  in  his  mansioun 
In  Aries,  the  colerik  hoote  signe. 

The  “last  Idus”  is  the  very  day  of  the  ides, 
the  15th  of  March,  at  which  time  the  sun, 
having  entered  Aries  on  the  12th,  was  in  the 
fourth  degree  of  that  sign,  which  was  the  exal¬ 
tation  of  the  sun.  The  expression  “  neigh  his 
exaltacioun  ”  is  appropriate  because  the  nine¬ 
teenth  degree  of  any  sign  in  particular  was  the 
one  in  which  the  exaltation  was  supposed  to 
occur. 

15,039  Phebus  hath  laft  the  angle  meridional, 

And  yet  ascendynge  was  the  beest  roial, 

The  gentil  Leon,  with  his  Aldrian. 

Having  left  the  southern  angle  and  entered  the 
“  succedent  ”  Leo,  the  sun  showed  that  it  was 
past  noon. 

15,048  Now  dauncen  lusty  Venus  children  deere, 

For  in  the  Fyssh  hir  lady  sat  ful  hye, 

And  looketh  on  hem  with  a  freendly  eye. 


CXX11 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


The  children  of  pleasure  danced  joyfully  be¬ 
cause  their  lady  Venus  was  in  her  exaltation, 
in  Pisces. 

15,161  As  rody  and  bright  as  dooth  the  yonge  sonne 
That  in  the  Ram  is  foure  degrees  up  ronne. 

On  March  16th  the  sun  was  in  the  fourth  de¬ 
gree,  which  proves  Tyrwhitt  correct,  and  those 
manuscripts  which  read  “ten”  wrong. 

15,682  And  this  was  in  the  sixte  monve  of  May. 

15,809  That  gevest  after  thy  declinacioun, 

To  ech  of  hem  his  tyrne  and  his  sesoun, 

As  thyn  herberwe  chaungeth  lowe  or  heighe. 
15,833  That  now  next  at  this  opposicioun, 

Which  in  the  signe  shal  be  of  the  Leoun. 

The  6th  of  May  is  marked  by  the  twenty-third 
degree  of  Taurus.  “  After  ”  means  according 
to,  the  sun’s  position  or  resting-place  changing 
from  day  to  day,  and  vegetation  changing 
with  it.  A  “  spring-flood  ”  or  high  tide  might 
be  expected  if  the  sun  and  moon  could  re¬ 
main  in  opposition,  and  the  moon  would  be 
full  under  the  circumstances  indicated.  See 
line  15,845. 

15,905  Which  book  spak  muchel  of  the  operaciouns 
Touchy nge  the  eighte  and  twenty  mansiouns 
That  longen  to  the  moone,  and  swich  folye. 


ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 


CXX111 


The  Arabs  count  twenty-eight  stations  of  the 
moon,  having  “  influences.”  Twelve  are  tem¬ 
perate  mansions,  six  dry,  and  ten  moist. 

16,021  Phebus  vvox  old,  and  hewed  lyk  latoun, 

That  in  his  hoote  declynacioun 

Shoon  as  the  burned  gold,  with  stremes  brighte  ; 

But  now  in  Capricorn  adoun  he  lighte, 

Where  as  he  shoon  ful  pale. 

The  sun  was  in  the  winter  solstice,  at  its  low¬ 
est  altitude,  having  entered  Capricorn  on  the 
13th  of  December. 

16,049  Hise  tables  Tolletanes  forth  he  brought 
Ful  wel  corrected.  .  .  . 

16,056  And  by  his  eighte  speere  in  his  wirkyng 

He  knew  ful  wel  how  fer  Alnath  was  shove 
Fro  the  heed  of  thilke  fixe  Aries  above, 

That  in  the  nynte  speere  considered  is.  .  .  . 

In  this  passage  the  Harleian  manuscript  gives 
“  thre  ”  instead  of  “  eighte,”  and  “  fourthe  ” 
instead  of  “  nynte,”  which  made  bad  sense  and 
imperfect  scansion.  Tyrwhitt  was  correct  in 
each  case.  The  reference  is  to  the  exact 
amount  of  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes  as¬ 
certained  by  measurements  of  the  true  equi¬ 
noctial  point  and  the  nearest  convenient  bright 
star,  Alnath,  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude,  be¬ 
ing  taken  for  the  purpose. 


CXxiv  ASTROLOGICAL  TERMS. 

18,245  The  sonne  fro  the  south  lyne  was  descended 
So  lowe  that  he  ne  nas  nat  to  my  sighte 
Degrees  nyne-and-twenty  as  in  highte  ; 

Foure  of  the  clokke  it  was  tho,  as  I  gesse, 

For  ellevene  foot,  or  litel  rnoore  or  lesse, 

My  shadwe  was  at  thilke  tyme,  as  there 
Of  swiche  feet  as  my  lengthe  parted  were 
In  sixe  feet  equal  of  proporcioun. 

Ther-with  the  rnoones  exaltacioun, 

I  meene  Libra,  alwey  gan  ascende. 

This  passage  shows  that  “  four  ”  was  the 
hour,  and  not  “  ten,”  as  some  manuscripts  have 
it,  for  at  four  in  the  afternoon  of  April  20th,  the 
sun  was  twenty-nine  degrees  above  the  western 
horizon,  and  caused  Chaucer’s  shadow  to  be  in 
the  proportion  of  eleven  to  six.  In  this  case 
again  Tyrwhitt  was  correct. 

The  expression  “I  meene  Libra”  is  similar 
to  “I  mene  Venus”  (line  22x6),  but  Libra  is  the 
exaltation  of  Saturn  ;  though  the  first  “  face  ” 
of  Libra  was  the  face  of  the  Moon,  and  we  may 
well  agree  with  Mr.  Skeat  that  the  poet  here 
made  a  slip  in  the  use  of  the  arbitrary  terms 
of  astrology. 

When  Phebus  clothe  his  bryghte  bemes  sprede, 
Ryght  in  the  white  Bool  it  so  bytydde 
As  I  shal  synge,  —  on  Mayes  day  the  thridde.1 
The  sun  is  in  Taurus  at  the  beginning;  of 

o  o 

May. 


1  T royltts  and  Cryseyde,  ii.  54. 


BIBLICAL  REFERENCES. 


The  great  number  of  Chaucer’s  allusions 
to  and  quotations  from  the  Bible,  and  their 
familiarity,  makes  it  inexpedient  to  indicate 
them.  Living  at  the  time  when  Wiclif, 
through  his  writings  and  his  poor  preachers, 
was  making  the  people  everywhere  acquainted 
with  the  words  and  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  a 
complete  version  of  which  he  gave  them  in 
their  own  tongue  before  Chaucer  had  reached 
his  prime,  and  when,  as  has  been  said,  every 
third  man  in  the  street  was  a  Lollard,  it  would 
have  been  strange  if  the  great  poet  had  not 
derived  the  largest  share  of  his  allusions  and 
illustrations  from  the  revered  book  of  the  peo¬ 
ple. 

Chaucer  was  familiar  with  the  Scriptures 
from  Genesis  to  Revelation,  and  made  hun¬ 
dreds  of  references  to  the  ancient  historical 
books,  to  the  poetry  of  Job,  David,  and  Solo¬ 
mon,  to  the  Apocryphal  books,  to  the  Gospels 
of  the  four  Evangelists,  to  the  Epistles  of  St. 
Paul,  and  to  the  apocalyptic  vision  of  the  Seer 


CXXV1 


BIBLICAL  REFERENCES. 


of  Patinos.  He  did  this,  too,  not  with  the  con¬ 
strained  and  exact  style  of  one  who  prepared 
himself  for  the  occasion,  but  with  the  freedom 
of  a  man  who  was  acquainted  with  the  subject 
and  who  believed  his  readers  to  be  possessed 
of  the  same  general  knowledge. 


THE  CANTERBURY  TALES. 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 

Here  bygynneth  the  Book  of  the  tales  of  Caunter- 

bury. 

Whan  that  Aprille  with  hise  shoures  soote 
The  droghte  of  March  hath  perced  to  the  roote, 
And  bathed  every  veyne  in  swich  1  licour 
Of  which  vertu  engendred  is  the  flour ; 

Whan  Zephirus  eek  with  his  swete  breeth 
Inspired  hath  in  every  holt  and  heeth 
The  tendre  croppes,  and  the  yonge  sonne 
Hath  in  the  Ram2  his  halfe  cours  yronne, 

And  smale  foweles  maken  melodye 
That  slepen  al  the  nyght  with  open  eye, —  io 
So  priketh  hem  Nature  in  hir  corages,8  — 
Thanne  longen  folk  to  goon  on  pilgrimages 
And  palmeres  for  to  seken  straunge  strondes 
To  feme  halwes,  kowthe  4  in  sondry  londes  ; 
And  specially,  from  every  shires  ende 
Of  Engelond,  to  Cauiiturbury  they  wende 

J  Such.  2  The  sign  of  the  Ram  3  Their  hearts.  4  Ancient 
saints,  known. 

VOL.  I.  I 


2 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


The  booly  blisful  martir1  for  to  seke 
That  hem  hath  holpen  whan  that  they  were 
seeke. 

Bifil  that  in  that  seson  on  a  day, 

In  Southwerk  at  the  Tabard  as  I  lay,  20 

Redy  to  wenden  on  my  pilgrymage 
To  Caunterbury  with  ful  devout  corage, 

At  nyght  were  come  in-to  that  hostelrye 
Wei 2  nyne-and-twenty  in  a  compaignye, 

Of  sondry  folk,  by  aventure  y-falle 
In  felaweshipe,  and  pilgrimes  were  they  alle, 
That  toward  Caunterbury  wolden  ryde. 

The  chambres  and  the  stables  weren  wyde 
And  wel  we  weren  esed  atte  3  beste. 

And  shortly  whan  the  sonne  was  to-reste,  30 
So  hadde  I  spoken  with  hem  everychon 4 
That  I  was  of  hir  felaweshipe  anon, 

And  made  forward  5  erly  for  to  ryse 
To  take  oure  wey,  ther  6  as  I  yow  devyse. 

But  nathelees,  whil  I  have  tyme  and  space, 
Er  that  I  ferther  in  this  tale  pace,7 
Me  thynketh  it  acordaunt  to  resoun 
To  telle  yow  al  the  condicioun 
Of  ech  of  hem,  so  as  it  semed  me, 

And  whiche  they  weren  and  of  what  degree  40 
And  eek  in  what  array  that  they  were  inne  ; 
And  at  a  Knyght  than  wol  I  first  bigynne. 

1  Thomas  <l  Becket.  2  Full.  Cf.  1.  15,  159.  2  Accommodated  at 
the.  4  Each  one.  5  Promise.  6  Where.  >  Pass. 


THE  PILGRIMS.  3 

A  Knyght  ther  was  and  that  a  worthy  man, 
That  fro  the  tyme  that  he  first  bigan 
To  riden  out,  he  loved  chivalrie, 

Trouthe  and  honour,  fredom  and  curteisie. 

Ful  worthy  was  he  in  his  lordes  werre-, 

And  therto  hadde  he  riden  no  man  ferre,1 
As  wel  in  cristendom  as  in  hethenesse, 

And  evere  honoured  for  his  worthynesse.  50 
At  Alisaundre2  he  was  whan  it  was  wonne  ; 

Ful  ofte  tyme  he  hadde  the  bord  bigonne3 
Aboven  alle  nacions  in  Pruce.4 
In  Lettow 5  hadde  he  reysed 6  and  in  Ruce,7  — 
No  cristen  man  so  ofte  of  his  degree. 

In  Gernade,8  at  the  seege  eek  hadde  he  be 
Of  Algezir,  and  riden  in  Belmarye.9 
At  Lyeys 10  was  he,  and  at  Satalye,11 
Whan  they  were  wonne  ;  and  in  the  Grete  See 
At  many  a  noble  armee  hadde  he  be.  60 

At  mortal  batailles  hadde  he  been  fiftene, 
And  foughten  for  oure  feith  at  Tramyssene9 
In  lystes  thries,  and  ay  slayn  his  foo. 

This  ilke  worthy  knyght  hadde  been  also 
Somtyme  with  the  lord  of  Palatye 12 
Agayn  another  hethen  in  Turkye  ; 

And  everemoore  he  hadde  a  sovereyn  prys.13 
And  though  that  he  were  worthy,  he  was  wys, 
And  of  his  port  as  meeke  as  is  a  mayde. 


1  Further.  2  Alexandria.  Cf.  L  8004.  3  Taken  the  lead.  4  Prus¬ 
sia.  5  Lithuania.  0  Made  inroad.  7  Russia.  8  Granada.  9  Afri¬ 
can  kingdom.  Belmarye  is,  perhaps,  Palmyra.  10  In  Armenia. 
11  Attalia.  32  In  Anatolia.  13  Praise,  renown. 


4 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


He  nevere  yet  no  vileynye1  ne  sayde  70 

In  al  his  lyf  un-to  no  maner  wight. 

He  was  a  verray  parfit,  gentil  knyght. 

But  for  to  tellen  yow  of  his  array, 

His  hors  was  goode  but  he  was  nat  gay, 

Of  fustian  he  wered  a  gypoun  2 
Al  bismotered  with  his  habergeoun,3 
For  he  was  late  ycome  from  his  viage,4 
And  wente  for  to  doon  his  pilgrymage. 

With  hym  ther  was  his  sone,  a  yong  Squier, 
A  lovyere  and  a  lusty  bacheler,  80 

With  lokkes  crulle  5  as  they  were  leyd  in  presse. 
Of  twenty  yeer  of  age  he  was,  I  gesse. 

Of  his  stature  he  was  of  evene  lengthe,6 
And  wonderly  delyvere 7  and  of  greet  strengthe, 
And  he  hadde  been  somtyme  in  chyvachie,8 
In  Flaundres,  in  Artoys  and  Pycardie, 

And  born  hym  weel,  as  of  so  litel  space, 

In  hope  to  stonden  in  his  lady  grace. 
Embrouded 9  was  he,  as  it  were  a  meede 
Al  ful  of  fresshe  floures  whyte  and  reede ;  go 
Syngynge  he  was  or  floytynge,10  al  the  day  ; 

He  was  as  fressh  as  in  the  monthe  of  May. 
Short  was  his  gowne,  with  sieves  longe  and 
wyde. 

Wei  koude  he  sitte  on  hors  and  faire  ryde  ; 

He  koude  songes  make  and  wel  endite, 

1  Nothing  unbecoming.  2  Short  cassock.  3  Hauberk.  4  Travels. 
6  Curled.  13  Average  height.  7  Agile.  8  Active  training  on  raids 
for  knighthood.  9  Embroidered.  10  Playing  on  the  flute. 


THE  PILGRIMS.  5 

Juste  and  eek  daunce  and  weel  purtreye  and 
write. 

So  hoote  he  lovede  that  by  nyghtertale 1 
He  slepte  namoore  than  dooth  a  nyghtyngale  ; 
Curteis  he  was,  lowely  and  servysable, 

And  carf  biforn  his  fader  at  the  table.  ioo 

A  Yeman2  hadde  he  and  servantz  fiamo 
At  that  tyme,  for  hym  liste  ride  soo ; 

And  he  was  clad  in  cote  and  hood  of  grene. 

A  sheef  of  pecok  arwes 3  bright  and  kene 
Under  his  belt  he  bar  ful  thriftily. 

Wei  koude  he  dresse  his  takel  yemanly  ; 

His  arwes  drouped  noght  with  fetheres  lowe, 
And  in  his  hand  he  baar  a  myghty  bowe  ; 

A  not-heed 4  hadde  he  with  a  broun  visage ; 

Of  woodecraft  wel  koude  6  he  al  the  usage  ;  no 
Up-on  his  arm  he  baar  a  gay  bracer,6 
And  by  his  syde  a  swerd  and  a  bokeler, 

And  on  that  oother  syde  a  gay  daggere 
Harneised  wel  and  sharpe  as  point  of  spere.  • 

A  Cristophere 7  on  his  brest  of  silver  sheene  ; 
An  horn  he  bar,  the  bawdryk  was  of  grene. 

A  forster8  was  he,  soothly  as  I  gesse. 

Ther  was  also  a  Nonne,  a  Prioresse, 

That  of  hir  smylyng  was  ful  symple  and  coy  ; 
Hire  gretteste  ooth  was  but  by  seint  Loy,9  120 

1  Night.  2  Yeoman.  3  Arrows.  4  Round  head.  6  Knew. 
6  Arm  armor.  7  Image  of  St.  Christopher.  8  Forester.  9  St. 
Louis,  probably. 


6 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


And  she  was  cleped  madame  Eglentyne. 

Ful  weel  she  soonge  the  service  dyvyne, 
Entuned  in  hir  nose  ful  semeely, 

And  Frenssh  she  spak  ful  faire  and  fetisly 1 
After  the  scole  of  Stratford-atte-Bowe,2 
For  Frenssh  of  Parys  was  to  hire  unknowe. 

At  mete  wel  ytaught  was  she  with  alle, 

She  leet*no  morsel  from  hir  lippes  falle, 

Ne  wette  hir  fyngres  in  hir  sauce  depe. 

Wel  koude  she  carie  a  morsel  and  wel  kepe,  130 
That  no  drope  ne  fille  up-on  hire  breste  ; 

In  curteisie  was  set  ful  muchel  hir  leste. 

Hire  over-lippe  wyped  she  so  clene, 

That  in  hir  coppe  ther  was  no  ferthyng3  sene 
Of  grece,  whan  she  dronken  hadde  hir  draughte. 
Ful  semely  after  hir  mete  she  raughte, 

And  sikerly4  she  was  of  greet  desport, 

And  ful  plesaunt  and  amyable  of  port, 

And  peyned  hire  to  countrefete  cheere5 
Of  Court,  and  to  been  estatlich  of  manere,  140 
And  to  ben  holden  digne6  of  reverence  ; 

But  for  to  speken  of  hire  conscience, 

She  was  so  charitable  and  so  pitous 
She  wolde  wepe  if  that  she  saugh  a  mous 
Kaught  in  a  trappe,  if  it  were  deed  or  bledde. 
Of  smale  houndes  hadde  she  that  she  fedde 
With  rosted  flessh,  or  milk  and  wastel  breed; 7 
But  soore  wepte  she  if  any  of  hem  were  deed, 

1  Fastidiously.  2  Proverbial  for  poor  French,  or  none  at  all. 
3  Morsel.  4  Surely.  6  Took  pains  to  imitate  courtly  manners. 
*  Worthy.  7  Bread-cake. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


7 


Or  if  men  smoot  it  with  a  yerde 1  smerte,2 
And  al  was  conscience  and  tendre  herte.  150 
Ful  semyly  hir  wympul  pynched  3  was  ; 

Hire  nose  tretys,4  hir  eyen  greye  as  glas, 

Hir  mouth  ful  smal  and  ther  to  softe  and  reed, 
But  sikerly  she  hadde  a  fair  forheed  ; 

It  was  almoost  a  spanne  brood  I  trowe, 

For  hardily  5  she  was  nat  undergrowe. 

Ful  fetys6  was  hir  cloke  as  I  was  war ; 

Of  smal  coral  aboute  hire  arm  she  bar 
A  peire  of  bedes  gauded  al  with  grene,  159 
And  ther-on  heng  a  brooch  of  gold  ful  sheene, 
On  which  ther  was  first  write  a  crowned  A, 

And  after  Amor  vincit  omnia. 

Another  Nonne  with  hire  hadde  she 
That  was  hire  Chapeleyne,7  and  preestes  thre. 

A  Monk  ther  was  a  fair  for  the  maistrie,8 
An  outridere  that  lovede  venerie,9 
A  manly  man  to  been  an  abbot  able. 

Ful  many  a  deyntee  hors  hadde  he  in  stable, 
And  whan  he  rood  men  myghte  his  brydel 
heere 

Gynglen10  in  a  whistlynge  wynd  als  cleere,  170 
And  eek  as  loude,  as  dooth  the  chapel  belle. 
Ther  as11  this  lord  was  kepere  of  the  celle12 
The  reule  of  seint  Maure  or  of  seint  Beneit,13 

1  Rod.  -  Sharply.  8  Wimple  plaited.  4  Well-proportioned. 
B  Surely.  0  Neat,  nice.  7  Attendant,  secretary.  8  A  fair  one  for 
the  superiority.  9  Hunting.  10  Cf.  1.  S406.  11  Where  that.  12  Re¬ 
ligious  house.  13  Benedict. 


8 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


By-cause  that  it  was  old  and  som  del  streit, 
This  ilke  Monk  leet  olde  thynges  pace1 
And  heeld  after  the  newe  world  the  space. 

He  gaf  nat  of  that  text  a  pulled  2  hen 
That  seith  that  hunters  beth  nat  hooly  men, 

Ne  that  a  Monk  whan  he  is  recchelees3 
Is  likned  til  a  fissh  that  is  waterlees  ;  180 

This  is  to  seyn,  a  Monk  out  of  his  cloystre ; 
But  thilke  text  heeld  he  nat  worth  an  oystre  ; 
And  I  seyde  his  opinioun  was  good. 

What,  sholde  he  studie  and  make  hym-selven 
wood  4 

Upon  a  book  in  cloystre  alwey  to  poure, 

Or  swynken  with  his  handes  and  laboure 
As  Austyn  bit,5  how  shal  the  world  be  served  ? 
Lat  Austyn  have  his  swynk  to  him  reserved. 
Therfore  he  was  a  prikasour6  aright. 
Grehoundes  he  hadde  as  swift  as  fowel  in 
flight.  190 

Of  prikyng 7  and  of  huntyng  for  the  hare 
Was  al  his  lust,  for  no  cost  wolde  he  spare. 

I  seigh8  his  sieves  ypurfiled  9  at  the  hond 
With  grys,10  and  that  the  fyneste  of  a  lond  ; 
And  for  to  festne  his  hood  under  his  chyn 
He  hadde  of  gold  ywroght  a  ful  curious  pyn,  — 
A  love  knotte  in  the  gretter  ende  ther  was. 

His  heed  was  balled  that  shoon  as  any  glas, 
And  eek  his  face  as  it  hadde  been  enoynt. 

1  Pass.  -  Pilled,  moulting.  8  Reckless.  4  Mad.  5  Bid.  13  Hard 
rider.  7  Riding.  8  Saw.  0  Trimmed.  10  Grey  squirrel  fur. 


THE  PILGRIMS.  9 

He  was  a  lord  ful  fat  and  in  good  poynt ;  200 
Hise  eyen  stepe  1  and  rollynge  in  his  heed, 
That  stemed  as  a  forneys  of  a  leed  ; 2 
His  bootes  souple,  his  hors  in  greet  estaat. 
Now  certeinly  he  was  a  fair  prelaat. 

He  was  nat  pale,  as  a  forpyned 3  goost : 

A  fat  swan  loved  he  best  of  any  roost ; 

His  palfrey  was  as  broun  as  is  a  berye. 

A  Frere  ther  was,  a  wantowne  and  a  merye, 
A  lymytour,4  a  ful  solempne  man, 

In  alle  the  ordres  foure  is  noon  that  kan  210 
So-  muchel  of  daliaunce  and  fair  langage  ; 

He  hadde  maad  ful  many  a  mariage 
Of  yonge  wommen  at  his  owene  cost : 

Un-to  his  ordre  he  was  a  noble  post, 

And  wel  biloved  and  famulier 5  was  he 
With  frankeleyns  over  al  in  his  contree ; 

And  eek  with  worthy  wommen  of  the  toun, 

For  he  hadde  power  of  confessioun, 

As  seyde  hym-selfe,  moore  than  a  curat, 

For  of  his  ordre  he  was  licenciat.  220 

Ful  swetely  herde  he  confessioun, 

And  plesaunt  was  his  absolucioun. 

He  was  an  esy  man  to  geve  penaunce 
Ther  as  he  wiste  to  have  a  good  pitaunce  ; 

For  unto  a  povre  ordre  for  to  give 
Is  signe  that  a  man  is  wel  yshryve  ; 


1  Fiery.  2  Caldron.  3  Tormented  and,  of  course,  wasted.  4  One 
allowed  to  beg  within  certain  limits.  6  Familiar. 


IO 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


For  if  he  gaf  he  dorste  make  avaunt 1 
He  wiste  that  a  man  was  repentaunt : 

For  many  a  man  so  harde  is  of  his  herte  229 
He  may  nat  wepe  al  thogh  hym  soore  smerte, 
Therfore  in  stede  of  wepynge  and  preyeres 
Men  moote  geve  silver  to  the  povre  freres. 

His  typet 2  was  ay  farsed  full  of  knyves 
And  pynnes,  for  to  geven  yonge  wyves  ; 

And  certeinly  he  hadde  a  murye  note, 

Wei  koude  he  synge  and  pleyen  on  a  rote  : 8 
Of  yeddynges  4  he  baar  outrely  the  pris  ; 

His  nekke  whit  was  as  the  flour  delys,6 
Ther  to  he  strong  was  as  a  champioun. 

He  knew  the  tavernes  well  in  al  the  toun,  240 
And  everich  hostiler  and  tappestere  6  (241  T.) 

Bet 7  than  a  lazar  or  a  beggestere  ; 8 
For  un-to  swich  a  worthy  man  as  he 
Acorded  nat,  as  by  his  facultee, 

To  have  with  sike  lazars  aqueyntaunce  ; 

It  is  nat  honeste,  it  may  nat  avaunce 
For  to  deelen  with  no  swiche  poraille ; 9 
But  al  with  riche  and  selleres  of  vitaille. 

And  over  al,  ther  as  10  profit  sholde  arise, 
Curteis  he  was  and  lowely  of  servyse,  250 
Ther  nas  no  man  nowher  so  vertuous. 

He  was  the  beste  beggere  in  his  hous,11  (252  t.) 

1  Boast.  2  Cowl.  3  A  kind  of  harp.  4  Romantic  songs. 
5  Flower-de-luce.  0  Bar-womm.  7  Better.  8  Female  beggar. 
9  Poor  people,  poor  stuff.  10  Where.  11  Tyrwhitt  inserts  here  the 
following  lines,  which,  though  in  the  Hengwrt  MS.,  are  not  in  the 
Ellesmere,  Cambridge,  and  other  good  MSS.  :  — 

A  nd  gaf  a  certeyn  ferine  for  the  graunt , 

Noon  of  his  bretheren  cam  ther  in  his  haunt. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


I  I 

For  thogh  a  wydwe  hadde  noght  a  sho, 

So  plesaunt  was  his  In  principio ,x  (256  T.) 

Yet  wolde  he  have  a  ferthyng  er  he  wente. 

His  purchas  2  was  wel  bettre  than  his  rente,3 
And  rage  he  koude  as  it  were  right  a  whelpe  ; 
In  love  dayes4  ther  koude  he  muchel  helpe, 

For  there  he  was  nat  lyk  a  cloystrer  259 

With  a  thredbare  cope,  as  is  a  povre  scoler, 

But  he  was  lyk  a  maister,  or  a  pope ; 

Of  double  worstede  was  his  semycope, 

That  rounded  as  a  belle  out  of  the  presse. 
Somwhat  he  lipsed  for  his  wantownesse, 

To  make  his  Englissh  sweet  up-on  his  tonge, 
And  in  his  harpyng,  whan  that  he  hadde  songe, 
Hise  eyen  twynkled  in  his  heed  aryght 
As  doon  the  sterres  in  the  frosty  nyght. 

This  worthy  lymytour  was  cleped  Huberd. 

A  Marchant  was  ther  with  a  forked  berd, 

In  motlee,  and  hye  on  horse  he  sat ;  271 

Up-on  his  heed  a  Flaundryssh  bevere  hat ; 

His  bootes  clasped  faire  and  fetisly  ; 6 
Hise  resons  he  spak  ful  solempnely, 

Sownyge  0  alway  thencrees  7  of  his  wynnyng. 
He  wolde  the  see  were  kept8  for  any  thing 
Bitwixe  Middelburgh  and  Orewelle. 

Wel  koude  he  in  eschaunge  sheeldes 9  selle. 

1  End  of  the  mass,  John,  i.  i.  Cf.  1.  87^5.  2  Perquisites.  3  Reg¬ 
ular  income.  4  Days  appointed  for  settling  disputes  by  peaceable 
means.  6  Neatly.  8  Tending  to.  7  The  increase.  8  Guarded. 
®  French  crowns. 


12 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


This  worthy  man  ful  wel  his  wit  bisette,1 
Ther  wiste  no  wight  that  he  was  in  dette,  280 
So  estatly  was  he  of  his  governaunce 
With  his  bargaynes  and  with  his  chevyssaunce.2 
For  sothe  he  was  a  worthy  man  with  alle 
But  sooth  to  seyn  I  noot 3  how  men  hym  calle. 

A  Clerk  ther  was  of  Oxenford  also 
That  un-to  logyk  hadde  longe  ygo, 

And  leene  was  his  hors  as  is  a  rake, 

And  he  nas  nat  right  fat,  I  undertake, 

But  looked  holwe  and  ther  to  sobrely ; 

Ful  thredbare  was  his  overeste  courtepy  4  290 

For  he  hadde  geten  hym  yet  no  benefice, 

Ne  was  so  worldly  to  have  office  ; 

For  hym  was  levere  have  at  his  beddes  heed 
Twenty  bookes  clad  in  blak  or  reed 
Of  Aristotle  and  his  philosophic, 

Than  robes  riche  or  fithele  5  or  gay  sautrie  : 

But  al  be  that  he  was  a  philosophre, 

Yet  hadde  he  but  litel  gold  in  cofre.  (300  t.) 
But  al  that  he  myghte  of  his  freendes  hente  6 
On  bookes  and  his  lernynge  he  it  spente,  300 
And  bisily  gan  for  the  soules  preye 
Of  hem  that  gaf  hym  wher  with  to  scoleye.7 
Of  studie  took  he  moost  cure  and  moost  heede, 
Noght  o  word  spak  he  moore  than  was  neede, 
And  that  was  seyd  in  forme  and  reverence 

1  Employed.  -  Agreement  for  borrowing.  3  Know  not.  4  Up¬ 
per  cloak.  6  Fiddle.  0  Get.  7  Study. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


13 


And  short  and  quyk  and  ful  of  hy  sentence.1 
Sownynge  2  in  moral  vertu  was  his  speche 
And  gladly  wolde  he  lerne  and  gladly  teche. 

A  Sergeant  of  the  Lawe,  war  and  wys, 
That  often  hadde  been  at  the  Parvys,3  310 
Ther  was  also  ful  riche  of  excellence. 

Discreet  he  was  and  of  greet  reverence ; 

He  semed  swich,  hise  wordes  weren  so  wise, 
Justice  he  was  ful  often  in  Assise, 

By  patente  and  by  pleyn  commissioun, 

For  his  science  and  for  his  heigh  renoun. 

Of  fees  and  robes  hadde  he  many  oon ; 

So  greet  a  purchasour  4  was  nowher  noon. 

A1  was  fee  symple  to  hym  in  effect, 

His  purchasyng  myghte  nat  been  infect.6  320 
Nowher  so  bisy  a  man  as  he  ther  nas,6 
And  yet  he  semed  bisier  than  he  was. 

In  termes  hadde  he  7  caas  and  doomes  alle 
That  from  the  tyme  of  kyng  William  were 
yfalle  ; 

Ther-to  he  koude  endite  and  make  a  thyng, 
Ther  koude  no  wight  pynchen  at 8  his  writyng ; 
And  every  statut  coude  he  pleyn  9  by  rote. 

He  rood  but  hoomly  in  a  medlee 10  cote, 

1  Meaning.  2  Tending  to,  or  in  harmony  with.  Cf.  1.  9128.  In 
a  note  Mr.  Ellis  quotes  from  Cassell's  Magazine  for  May,  1869,  p. 
479,  a  “sketch  of  Oxford  life,”  there  attributed  to  Wiclif,  which  is 
either  the  original  of  this  description  of  the  Clerk,  or  a  prose  version 
of  it  not  by  Wiclif.  See  E .  E.  Pronunciation ,  iii.  696.  3  The  por¬ 
tico  of  St.  Paul’s,  where  lawyers  consulted.  4  Prosecutor.  B  Tainted 
(by  bribery).  0  Ne  was  =  was  not.  7  He  knew  well.  8  Find  fault 
with.  9  Knew  he  fully.  10  Mixed. 


14  the  general  prologue. 

Girt  with  a  ceint 1  of  silk  with  barres  smale  ; 

Of  his  array  telle  I  no  lenger  tale.  330 

A  Frankeleyn2  was  in  his  compaignye. 
Whit  was  his  heed  as  is  a  dayesye, 

Of  his  complexioun  he  was  sangwyn. 

Wei  loved  he  by  the  morwe  a  sope  in  wyn  ; 

To  lyven  in  debt  was  evere  his  wone,8 
For  he  was  Epicurus  owene  sone, 

That  heeld  opinioun  that  pleyn  delit 
Was  verraily  felicitee  parfit. 

An  hotisholdere  and  that  a  greet  was  he  ; 

Seint  Julian  4  was  he  in  his  contree  ;  340 

His  breed,  his  ale  was  alweys  after  oon ; 5 
A  bettre  envyned  6  man  was  nevere  noon. 

With  oute  bake  mete  was  nevere  his  hous, 

Of  fissh  and  flessh,  and  that  so  plenteuous 
It  snewed  in  his  hous  of  mete  and  drvnke, 

Of  alle  deyntees  that  men  koude  thynke 
After  the  sondry  sesons  of  the  yeer,  (349  t.) 
So  chaunged  he  his  mete  and  his  soper. 

Ful  many  a  fat  partrich  hadde  he  in  muwe  7 
And  many  a  breem  and  many  a  luce  in 
stuwe.8  350 

Wo  was  his  cook  but  if  his  sauce  were 
Poynaunt  and  sharpe  and  redy  al  his  geere. 

His  table  dormant 9  in  his  halle  alway, 

Stood  redy  covered  al  the  longe  day. 

1  Belt.  2  Country  gentleman.  3  Custom.  4  This  saint  was  fa¬ 
mous  for  providing  good  lodgings  for  his  votaries.  B  One  o’clock. 
6  Stored  with  wine.  7  Mew.  8  Fish  preserve.  9  Fixed. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


15 


At  sessiouns  ther  was  he  lord  and  sire  ; 

Ful  ofte  tyme  he  was  knyght  of  the  shire. 

An  anlaas,1  and  a  gipser  2  al  of  silk, 

Heeng  at  his  girdel  whit  as  morne  milk ; 

A  shirreve  hadde  he  been  and  countour.3 
Was  nowher  such  a  worthy  vavasour.4  360 

An  Haberdasshere,  and  a  Carpenter, 

A  Webbe,  a  Dyere,  and  a  Tapycer, 

And  they  were  clothed  alle  in  o  lyveree 
Of  a  solempne  and  a  greet  fraternitee  ; 

Ful  fressh  and  newe  hir  geere  apiked  5  was  ; 
Hir  knyves  were  chaped  6  noght  with  bras, 

But  al  with  silver,  wroght  ful  clene  and  weel, 
Hire  girdles  and  hir  pouches  everydeel. 

Wei  semed  ech  of  hem  a  fair  burgeys 
To  sitten  in  a  geldehalle,  on  a  deys.7  '  370 
Everich  8  for  the  wisdom  that  he  kan 9 
Was  shaply  for  to  been  an  alderman. 

For  catel 10  hadde  they  ynogh  and  rente, 

And  eek  hir  wyves  wolde  it  wel  assente  ; 

And  elles  certeyn  were  they  to  blame. 

It  is  ful  fair  to  been  ycleped  Madame , 

And  goon  to  vigilies  al  bifore, 

And  have  a  mantel  roialliche  ybore. 

A  Cook  they  hadde  with  hem  for  the  nones  11 
To  boille  the  cliiknes  with  the  marybones  12  380 

1  Knife.  2  Pouch.  3  Auditor.  4  Landholder.  5  Trimmed. 
8  Adorned.  7  Guildhall,  on  a  dais.  8  Each.  0  Knows.  10  Chat¬ 
tels,  property.  11  For  then  once  =  for  the  occasion.  12  Marrowbones 


I 6  THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 

And  poudre-marchant 1  tart  and  galyngale  ; 2 
Wei  koude  he  knowe  a  draughte  of  Londoun 
ale  ; 

He  koude  rooste  and  sethe  and  boille  and  frye, 
Maken  mortreux  3  and  wel  bake  a  pye  ; 

But  greet  harm  was  it,  as  it  thoughte  me, 

That  on  his  shyne  a  mormal  4  hadde  he, 

For  blankmanger,  that  made  he  with  the  beste. 

A  Shipman  was  ther,  wonynge  6  fer  by  weste  ; 
For  aught  I  woot  he  was  of  Dertemouthe. 

He  rood  up-on  a  rouncy 6  as  he  kouthe,  390 
In  a  gowne  of  faldyng 7  to  the  knee. 

A  daggere  hangynge  on  a  laas  8  hadde  he 
Aboute  his  nekke  under  his  arm  adoun. 

The  hoote  somer  hadde  maad  his  hewe  al  broun, 
And  certeinly  he  was  a  good  felawe. 

Ful  many  a  draughte  of  wyn  had  he  y-drawe 
Fro  Burdeuxward  whil  that  the  Chapman  sleepe. 
Of  nyce  conscience  took  he  no  keepe  9  (400  t.) 
If  that  he  faught,  and  hadde  the  hyer  hond  ; 

By  water  he  sente  hem  hoom  to  every  lond.  400 
But  of  his  craft  to  rekene  wel  his  tydes, 

His  stremes  and  his  daungers  hym  bisides, 

His  herberwe 10  and  his  moone,  his  lodemen- 
age,11 

Ther  nas  noon  swich  from  Hulle  to  Cartage. 


1  A  flavoring  powder.  2  Sweet  cypress  root,  3  A  dish  of  which 
the  ingredients  were  brayed  in  a  mortar.  4  Cancer.  c  Dwelling 
9  Hack.  1  A  coarse  cloth.  8  Lace.  0  Care.  10  Harbor.  11  Pi¬ 
lotage. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


17 


Hardy  he  was,  and  wys  to  undertake  : 

With  many  a  tempest  hadde  his  herd  been 
shake  ; 

He  knew  alle  the  havenes  as  they  were 
Fron  Gootlond  to  the  Cape  of  Fynystere, 

And  every  cryke  1  in  Britaigne  and  in  Spayne. 
His  barge  ycleped  was  the  Maudelayne.  410 

With  us  ther  was  a  Doctour  of  Phisik  ; 

In  all  this  world  ne  was  ther  noon  hym  lik 
To  speke  of  phisik  and  of  surgerye  ; 

For  he  was  grounded  in  astronomye. 

He  kepte  2  his  pacient  a  ful  greet  deel 
In  houres 8  by  his  magyk  natureel. 

Wei  koude  he  fortunen  4  the  ascendent 
Of  hise  ymages  for  his  pacient. 

He  knew  the  cause  of  everich  maladye, 

Were  it  of  hoot,  or  cold,  or  moyste,  or  drye,  420 
And  where  they  engendred  and  of  what  humour  ; 
He  was  a  verray  parfit  praktisour. 

The  cause  yknowe  and  of  his  harm  the  roote, 
Anon  he  gaf  the  sike  man  his  boote.5 
Ful  redy  hadde  he  hise  apothecaries 
To  sende  him  drogges  and  his  letuaries,6 
For  ech  of  hem  made  oother  for  to  Wynne, 

Hir  frendshipe  nas  nat  newe  to  bigynne. 

Wei  knew  he  the  olde  Esculapius 

And  Deyscorides,  and  eek  Risus,  430 

1  Inlet.  2  Watched.  3  Astrological  hours.  Cf.  House  of  Fame , 
iii.  175.  *  Knew  he  how  to  presage.  6  Remedy.  6  Electuaries. 

Cf.  11.  9381,  14,145- 

VOL.  I. 


2 


1 8  THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 

Okie  Ypocras,  Haly  and  Galyen, 

Serapion,  Razis  and  Avycen,1 
Averrois,  Damascien  and  Constantyn, 

Bernard  and  Gatesden  and  Gilbertyn. 

Of  bis  diete  mesurable  was  he, 

For  it  was  of  no  superfluitee, 

But  of  greet  norissyng  and  digestible. 

His  studie  was  but  litel  on  the  Bible ; 

In  sangwyn  2  and  in  pers  3  he  clad  was  al, 
Lyned  with  taffata  4  and  with  sendal.4  440 
And  yet  he  was  but  esy  of  dispence, 

He  kepte  that  he  wan  in  pestilence. 

For  gold  in  phisik  is  a  cordial, 

Therfore  he  lovede  gold  in  special. 


A  Good  Wif  was  ther  of  biside  Bathe, 

But  she  was  som  del  deef  and  that  was  scathe. 
Of  clooth-makyng  she  hadde  swich  an  haunt 6 
She  passed  hem  of  Ypres  and  of  Gaunt.  (450  t.) 
In  al  the  parisshe  wif  ne  was  ther  noon  449 
That  to  the  offrynge  bifore  hire  sholde  goon,6 
And  if  ther  dide,  certeyn  so  wrooth  was  she, 
That  she  was  out  of  alle  charitee. 

Flir  coverchiefs  ful  fyne  weren  of  ground,  — 

I  dorste  swere  they  weyeden  ten  pound,  — 
That  on  a  Sonday  weren  upon  hir  heed. 

1  Avicenna,  an  Arabian  physician,  who  died  in  1037.  Cf.  1.  9963. 
He  is  mentioned  by  Dante,  in  connection  with  Hippocrates  and  Ga¬ 
len,  as  in  Limbo.  Inferno ,  iv.  143,  Longfellow’s  translation.  2  Red. 
8  Blue.  *  Silk  stuff.  6  Custom.  c  The  offering  was  the  “sacri¬ 
fice”  of  the  Mass.  Mass  is  a  word  of  uncertain  derivation.  The 
Welsh  offeren  is  translated  both  “  offering  ’’  and  “  Mass  ”  in  the  d/a- 
binogion.  Cf.  1.  18,650. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


19 


Hir  hosen  weren  of  fyn  scarlet  reed 
Ful  streite  yteyd,  and  shoes  ful  moyste  and 
newe ; 

Boold  was  hir  face  and  fair  and  reed  of  hewe. 
She  was  a  worthy  womraan  al  hir  lyve,  459 
Housbondes  at  chirche  dore  she  hadde  fyve, 
Withouten  1  oother  compaignye  in  youthe, — 
But  ther  of  nedeth  nat  to  speke  as  nowthe,2  — 
And  thries  hadde  she  been  at  Jerusalem  ; 

She  hadde  passed  many  a  straunge  strem ; 

At  Rome  she  hadde  been  and  at  Boloigne, 

In  Galice  at  Seint  Jame,  and  at  Coloigne, 

She  koude3  muchel  of  wandrynge  by  the  weye. 
Gat-tothed 4  was  she,  soothly  for  to  seye. 

Up-on  an  amblere  esily  she  sat, 

Ywympled  wel,  and  on  hir  heed  an  hat  470 
As  brood  as  is  a  bokeler  or  a  targe  ; 

A  foot  mantel  aboute  hir  hipes  large, 

And  on  hire  feet  a  paire  of  spores  sharpe. 

In  felaweshipe  wel  koude  she  laughe  and  carpe ; 
Of  remedies  of  love  she  knew  per  chaunce 
For  she  koude  of  that  art  the  olde  daunce.5 

A  good  man  was  ther  of  religioun 
And  was  a  Povre  Persoun6  of  a  Toun  ; 

But  riche  he  was  of  hooly  thoght  and  werk ; 
He  was  also  a  lerned  man,  a  clerk,  480 

That  Cristes  Gospel  trewely  wolde  preche, 

1  Besides.  -  Now.  3  Knew.  4  Gap-toothed  (?).  Cf.  1.  10,645. 
5  Customs.  0  Persona  ecclesiee ,  the  church’s  representative. 


20 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


Hise  parisshens  devoutly  wolde  he  teche. 
Benygne  he  was  and  wonder  diligent, 

And  in  adversitee  ful  pacient ; 

And  swich  he  was  y-preved  ofte  sithes. 

Ful  looth  were  hym  to  cursen  for  hise  tithes, 
But  rather  wolde  he  geven,  out  of  doute, 

Un-to  his  povre  parisshens  aboute, 

Of  lhs  offryng  and  eek  of  his  substaunce. 

He  koude  in  litel  thyng  have  suffisaunce.  490 
Wyd  was  his  parisshe,  and  houses  fer  a-sonder, 
But  he  ne  lafte  nat  for  reyn  ne  thonder, 

In  siknesse  nor  in  meschief  to  visite 

The  ferreste  in  his  parisshe  muche  and  lite  1 

Up-on  his  feet  and  in  his  hand  a  staf. 

This  noble  ensample  to  his  sheepe  he  gaf 
That  firste  he  wroghte  and  afterward,  he 
taughte.  (499  T.) 

Out  of  the  gospel  he  tho  wordes  caughte, 

And  this  figure  he  added  eek  ther  to, 

That  if  gold  ruste  what  shal  iren  doo  ?  500 

For  if  a  preest  be  foul  on  whom  we  truste, 

No  wonder  is  a  lewed  man  to  ruste  ; 

And  shame  it  is,  if  that  a  prest  take  keepe,2 
A  shiten  shepherde  and  a  clene  sheepe. 

Wei  oghte  a  preest  ensample  for  to  geve 
By  his  clennesse  how  that  his  sheepe  sholde 
lyve. 

He  sette  nat  his  benefice  to  hyre 

And  leet 3  his  sheepe  encombred  in  the  myre, 

1  Great  and  small.  2  Notice.  3  Left. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


21 


And  ran  to  Londoun  un-to  Saint  Poules 
To  seken  hym  a  chauntrie  for  soules ;  510 

Or  with  a  bretherhed  to  been  withholde, 

But  dwelleth  at  hoom  and  kepeth  wel  his  folde, 
So  that  the  wolf  ne  made  it  nat  myscarie,  — 
He  was  a  shepherde,  and  noght  a  mercenarie  : 
And  though  he  hooly  were  and  vertuous, 

He  was  nat  to  synful  man  despitous, 

Ne  of  his  speche  daungerous  ne  digne,1 
But  in  his  techyng  discreet  and  benygne, 

To  drawen  folk  to  hevene  by  fairnesse, 

By  good  ensample,  this  was  his  bisynesse.  520 
But  it  were  any  persone  obstinat, 

What  so  he  were,  of  heigh  or  lough  estat, 

Hym  wolde  he  snybben  2  sharply  for  the 
nonys. 

A  bettre  preest  I  trowe  that  nowher  noon  ys ; 
He  waiteth  after  no  pompe  and  reverence, 

Ne  maked  him  a  spiced  3  conscience, 

But  Cristes  loore,  and  his  Apostles  twelve, 

He  taughte,  but  first  he  folwed  it  hym  selve. 

With  hym  ther  was  a  Plowman,  was  his 
brother,  529 

That  hadde  y-lad  of  dong  ful  many  a  fother,4  — 
A  trewe  swynkere  6  and  a  good  was  he, 
Lyvynge  in  pees  and  parfit  charitee. 

God  loved  he  best,  with  al  his  hoole  herte 

1  Reserved  nor  haughty.  2  Reprove.  3  Sophisticated.  Cf. 
I.  10,477.  4  Load.  5  Worker. 


22  THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 

At  alle  tymes,  thogh  he  gamed  or  smerte,1 
And  thanne  his  neighebore  right  as  hym-selve. 
He  wolde  thresshe,  and  ther  to  dyke  and  delve, 
For  Cristes  sake  for  every  povre  wight, 
Withouten  hire,  if  it  lay  in  his  myght. 

Hise  tithes  payde  he  ful  faire  and  wel 
Bothe  of  his  propre  swynk  and  his  catel.2  540 
In  a  tabard  he  rood  uj)on  a  mere. 

Ther  was  also  a  Reve  and  a  Millere, 

A  Somnour  and  a  Pardoner  also, 

A  Maunciple  and  my  self,  — ther  were  namo.8 

The  Millere  was  a  stout  carl  for  the  nones, 
Ful  byg  he  was  of  brawn  and  eek  of  bones ; 
That  proved  wel,  for  over  al  ther  he  cam 
At  wrastlynge,  he  wolde  have  alwey  the  ram.4 
He  was  short  sholdred,  brood,  a  thikke 
knarre,6  (551  T.) 

Ther  nas  no  dore  that  he  ne  wolde  heve  of 
harre,6  550 

Or  breke  it  at  a  rennyng  with  his  heed. 

His  berd,  as  any  sowe  or  fox,  was  reed, 

And  ther  to  brood,  as  though  it  were  a  spade. 
Up-on  the  cope  right  of  his  nose  he  hade 
A  werte,  and  ther  on  stood  a  toft  of  herys, 
Reed  as  the  brustles  of  a  sowes  erys  : 

His  nosethirles  7  blake  were  and  wyde ; 

A  swerd  and  a  bokeler  bar  he  by  his  syde  ; 


1  Enjoyed  or  suffered.  2  His  own  work  and  goods.  3  No  more. 
4  Prize.  Cf.  1.  6353.  6  Knot.  6  Hinge.  7  Nostrils. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


23 


His  mouth  as  greet  was  as  a  greet  forneys, 

He  was  a  janglere  and  a  goliardeys,1  560 
And  that  was  moost  of  synne  and  harlotries. 
Wei  koude  he  stelen  corn  and  tollen  thries, 
And  yet  he  hadde  “  a  thombe  of  gold,”  pardee :2 
A  whit  cote  and  a  blew  hood  wered  he, 

A  baggepipe  wel  koude  he  blowe  and  sowne, 
And  ther  with  al  he  broghte  us  out  of  towne. 


A  gentil  Maunciple  3  was  ther  of  a  temple, 
Of  which  achatours 4  myghte  take  exemple 
For  to  be  wise  in  byynge  of  vitaille  ; 

For  wheither  that  he  payde  or  took  by  taille  5 
Algate  6  he  wayted7  so  in  his  achaat  571 

That  he  was  ay  biforn  8  and  in  good  staat. 

Now  is  nat  that  of  God  a  ful  fair  grace 
That  swich  a  lewed  mannes  wit  shal  pace 9 
The  wisdom  of  an  heepe  of  lerned  men  ? 

Of  maistres  hadde  he  mo  than  thries  ten 
That  weren  of  lawe  expert  and  curious, 

Of  whiche  ther  weren  a  duszeyne  in  that  hous 
Worthy  to  been  stywardes  of  rente  and  lond 
Of  any  lord  that  is  in  Engelond,  580 

To  maken  hym  lyve  by  his  propre  10  good 
In  honour  dettelees  but  if  he  were  wood,11 
Or  lyve  as  scarsly  as  hym  list  desire, 

And  able  for  to  helpen  al  a  shire 


1  JTangler  and  joker.  2  Though  he  took  toll  thrice,  he  was  honest, 
as  millers  go.  3  A  purveyor  for  an  inn  of  court.  4  Buyers.  5  On 
trust  (tally).  6  Always.  7  Watched.  8  Forehanded.  9  Surpass. 

10  Own.  11  Mad. 


24  the  general  prologue. 

In  any  caas  that  myghte  falle  or  happe, 

And  yet  this  Manciple  sette  bir  aller  capped 

The  Reve  was  a  sclendre  colerik  man, 

His  herd  was  shave  as  ny  as  ever  he  kan  ; 

His  beer  was  by  his  erys  fid  round  yshorn, 

His  tope  was  doked  lyk  a  preest  biforn,  590 
Fill  longe  were  his  legges  and  ful  lene, 

Ylyk  a  staf,  ther  was  no  calf  y-sene. 

Wei  koude  he  kepe  a  gerner  and  a  bynne, 

Ther  was  noon  auditour2  koude  of  him  wynne. 
Wei  wiste  he,  by  the  droghte  and  by  the'reyn, 
The  yeldynge  of  his  seed  and  of  his  greyn. 

His  lordes  sheepe  his  neet,  his  dayerye, 

His  swyn,  his  hors,  his  stoor,3  and  his  pul- 
trye,  (600  T.) 

Was  hoolly  in  this  reves  governyng, 

And  by  his  covenant  gaf  the  rekenyng  600 
Syn  that  his  lord  was  twenty  yeer  of  age  ; 

Ther  koude  no  man  brynge  hym  in  arrerage. 
There  nas  baillif,  ne  hierde,  nor  oother  hyne,4 
That  he  ne  knew  his  sleighte  and  his  covyne ; 5 
They  were  adrad  of  hym  as  of  the  deeth. 

His  wonyng 6  was  ful  faire  up-on  an  heeth, 

With  grene  trees  yshadwed  was  his  place. 

He  koude  bettre  than  his  lord  purchace. 

Ful  riche  he  was  a-stored  pryvely, 

His  lord  wel  koude  he  plesen  subtilly  610 


1  Overreached  them  all.  Cf.  1.  3143.  2  Examiner.  8  Steers. 

4  Servant.  5  Collusion.  fi  Dwelling. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


25 


To  geve  and  lene  1  hym  of  his  owene  good 
And  have  a  thank,  and  yet  a  gowne  and  hood. 
In  youthe  he  lerned  hadde  a  good  myster,2 
He  was  a  wel  good  wrighte,  a  carpenter. 

This  Reve  sat  up-on  a  ful  good  stot 3 
That  was  al  pomely4  grey  and  highte  Scot'; 

A  long  surcote  of  pers  5  up-on  he  hade, 

And  by  his  syde  he  baar  a  rusty  blade. 

Of  Northfolk  was  this  Reve  of  which  I  telle, 
Biside  a  toun  men  clepen  Baldeswelle.  620 
Tukked  he  was  as  is  a  frere  aboute, 

And  evere  he  rood  the  hyndreste  of  oure  route. 

A  Somonour  was  ther  with  us  in  that  place 
That  hadde  a  fyr-reed  cherubynnes  face, 

For  sawcefleem6  he  was,  with  eyen  narwe; 

As  hoot  he  was  and  lecherous  as  a  sparwe, 
With  scaled  browes,  blake  and  piled  berd,  — 
Of  his  visage  children  were  aferd. 

Ther  nas  quyk-silver,  lytarge,  ne  brymstoon, 
Boras,  ceruce,7  ne  oille  of  Tartre  noon,  630 
Ne  oynement  that  wolde  dense  and  byte, 

That  hym  myghte  helpen  of  the  whelkes  white, 
Nor  of  the  knobbes  sittynge  on  his  chekes. 
Wel  loved  he  garleek,  oynons,  and  eek  lekes, 
And  for  to  drynken  strong  wyn,  reed  as  blood, 
Thanne  wolde  he  speke  and  crie  as  he  were 
wood,8 

1  Lend.  2  Trade.  3  Horse.  4  Dappled.  6  Blue.  6  Pimpled 
*  White  lead.  «  Mad. 


2  6 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


And  whan  that  he  wel  dronken  hadde  the  wyn, 
Than  wolde  he  speke  no  word  but  Latyn. 

A  fewe  termes  hadde  he,  two  or  thre, 

That  he  had  lerned  out  of  som  decree,  —  640 
No  wonder  is,  he  herde  it  al  the  day, 

And'eek  ye  knowen  wel  how  that  a  jay 
Kan  clepen  “  Watte  ”  as  wel  as  kan  the  pope. 
But  who  so  koude  in  oother  thyng  hym  grope, 
Thanne  hadde  he  spent  al  his  philosophic, 

Ay,  “  Questio  quid  juris,”  wolde  he  crie. 

He  was  a  gentil  harlot 1  and  a  kynde  ; 

A  bettre  felawe  sholde  men  noght  fynde.  (650  t.) 
He  wolde  suffre  for  a  quart  of  wyn 
A  good  felawe  to  have  his  concubyn  650 

A  twelf  rnonthe,  and  excuse  hym  atte  2  fulle  ; 
And  prively  a  fynch  eek  koude  he  pulle,3 
And  if  he  foond  owher  4  a  good  felawe, 

He  wolde  techen  him  to  have  noon  awe 
In  swich  caas  of  the  Erceclekenes5  curs, 

But-if  a  mannes  soule  were  in  his  purs  ; 

For  in  his  purs  he  sholde  ypunysshed  be  : 

“  Purs  is  the  Ercedekenes  helle,”  seyde  he. 

But  wel  I  woot  he  lyed  right  in  dede, 

Of  cursyng  oghte  ech  gilty  man  to  drede,  660 
For  curs  wol  slee  right  as  assoillyng  6  savith  ; 
And  also  war  him  of  a  Significavit? 

In  daunger8  hadde  he  at  his  owene  gise9 
The  yonge  girles  of  the  diocise, 

1  Fellow.  2  At  the.  3  Pull  a  finch  =  rob.  i  Anywhere. 
s  Arch-deacon’s.  0  Absolution.  7  Warn  him  of  a  writ  of  excommu¬ 
nication.  8  Official  control.  0  As  he  would  wish. 


THE  PILGRIMS. 


27 


And  knew  hir  conseil,  and  was  al  hir  reed.1 
A  gerland  hadde  he  set  up-on  his  heed, 

As  greet  as  it  were  for  an  ale-stake, 

A  bokeleer  hadde  he  maad  him  of  a  cake. 

With  hym  ther  was  a  gen  til  Pardoner 
Of  Rouncivale,  his  freend  and  his  compeer,  670 
That  streight  was  comen  fro  the  court  of  Rome. 
Ful  loude  he  soong  “Com  hider,  love,  to  me  !” 
This  Somonour  bar  to  hym  a  stif  burdoun,2 
Was  nevere  trompe  of  half  so  greet  a  soun. 
This  Pardoner  hadde  heer  as  yelow  as  wex 
But  smothe  it  heeng  as  dooth  a  strike  of  flex ; 
By  ounces  henge  hise  lokkes  that  he  hadde, 
And  ther  with  he  hise  shuldres  overspradde. 
But  thynne  it  lay  by  colpons3  oon  and  oon  ; 
But  hood,  for  jolitee,  ne  wered  he  noon,  680 
For  it  was  trussed  up  in  his  walet. 

Hym  thoughte  he  rood  al  of  the  newe  jet,4 
Dischevelee,  save  his  cappe,  he  rood  al  bare. 
Swiche  5  glarynge  eyen  hadde  he  as  an  hare, 

A  vernvcle  6  hadde  he  sowed  up-on  his  cappe  ; 
His  walet  lay  biforn  hym  in  his  lappe 
Bret  ful 7  of  pardon,  comen  from  Rome  al  hoot. 
A  voys  he  hadde  as  -smal  as  hath  a  goot ; 

No  berd  hadde  he,  ne  nevere  sholde  have, 

As  smothe  it  was  as  it  were  late  shave  ;  690 

I  trowe  he  were  a  geldyng  or  a  mare. 

1  Adviser.  2  Accompaniment.  Cf.  1.  4165.  3  Shreds.  4  Mo'de. 

(Some  MSS.  have^-e^.)  5  Such.  0  A  painting  cf  the  face  of  Christ. 
7  Brimful. 


28 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


But  of  his  craft,  fro  Berwyk  in  to  Ware 
Ne  was  ther  swich  another  pardoner, 

For  in  his  male  1  he  hadde  a  pilwe-beer,2 
Which  that  he  seyde  was  oure  lady  veyl  ; 

He  seyde  he  hadde  a  gobet 3  of  the  seyl 
That  Seint  Peter  hadde  whan  that  he  wente 
Up-on  the  see  til  Jhesu  Crist  hym  hente.4  (700  t.) 
He  hadde  a  croys  of  latoun5  ful  of  stones, 

And  in  a  glas  he  hadde  pigges  bones  ;  700 

But  with  thise  relikes,  whan  that  he  fond 
A  povre  person  dwellynge  up-on  lond, 

Up-on  a  day  he  gat  hym  moore  moneye 
Than  that  the  person  6  gat  in  monthes  tweye. 
And  thus  with  feyned  flaterye  and  japes 7 
He  made  the  person  and  the  peple  his  apes. 
But,  trewely  to  tellen  atte  laste, 

He  was  in  chirche  a  noble  ecclesiaste ; 

Wei  koude  he  rede  a  lessoun  or  a  storie, 

But  alderbest 8  he  song  an  Offertorie,9  710 
For  wel  he  wiste  whan  that  song  was  songe, 

He  moste  preche  and  wel  affile  10  his  tonge 
To  wynne  silver,  as  he  ful  wel  koude, 

Therefore  he  song  the  murierly 11  and  loude. 

Now  have  I  toold  you  shortly  in  a  clause 
The  staat,  tharray,  the  nombre,  and  eek  the 
cause 

Why  that  assembled  was  this  compaignye 
In  Southwerk  at  this  gentil  hostelrye, 

1  Bag.  2  Pillow-case.  Cf.  Duchess  Blanche ,  1.  254.  8  Piece. 

4  Seized.  5  Brass.  0  Parson.  7  Tricks.  8  Best  of  all.  9  Cf. 
1.  9408.  10  Polish.  11  More  pleasantly. 


chaucer’s  way  of  telling  his  story.  29 

That  highte  the  Tabard,  faste  by  the  Belle. 

But  now  is  tyme  to  yow  for  to  telle  720 

How  that  we  baren  us  that  ilke  nyght, 

Whan  we  were  in  that  hostelrie  alyght, 

And  after  wol  I  telle  of  our  viage  1 
And  al  the  remenaunt  of  oure  pilgrimage. 

But  first,  I  pray  yow  of  youre  curteisye, 

That  ye  narette  it  nat 2  my  vileynye,3 
Thogh  that  I  pleynly  speke  in  this  mateere 
To  telle  yow  hir  wordes  and  hir  cheere,4 
Ne  thogh  I  speke  hir  wordes  proprely, 

For  this  ye  knowen  al  so  wel  as  I,  730 

Who  so  shal  telle  a  tale  after  a  man, 

He  moote  reherce  as  ny  as  evere  he  kan 
Everich  a  word,  if  it  be  in  his  charge, 

Al  speke  he  never  so  rudeliche  or  large,6 
Or  ellis  he  moot  telle  his  tale  untrewe, 

Or  feyne  thyng,  or  fynde  wordes  newe. 

He  may  nat  spare  al  thogh  he  were  his  brother, 
He  moot  as  wel  seye  o  word  as  another. 

Crist  spak  hym  self  ful  brode  in  hooly  writ 
And  wel  ye  woot  no  vileynye  is  it.  740 

Eek  Plato  seith,  who  so  kan  hym  rede, 

“  The  wordes  moote  be  cosyn 6  to  the  dede.” 

Also  I  prey  yow  to  forgeve  it  me 
Al  have  I  nat  set  folk  in  hir  degree 
Heere  in  this  tale,  as  that  they  sholde  stonde ; 
My  wit  is  short,  ye  may  wel  understonde. 

1  Tourney.  2  Ascribe  it  not  to.  3  Rusticity,  coarseness.  4  Ap¬ 
pearance.  5  Freely.  6  Germane.  Cf.  1.  18,089.  The  sentiment  is 
found  in  Chaucer’s  Boethius,  book  iii.,  prose  12,  being  there  quoted 
from  Plato. 


30  THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 

Greet  chiere  made  oure  hoost  us  everichon, 
And  to  the  soper  sette  he  us  anon  (750  T.) 
And  served  us  with  vitaille  at  the  beste. 

Strong  was  the  wyn  and  wel  to  drynke  us 
leste.  750 

A  semely  man  Oure  Hooste  was  with  alle 
For  to  han 1  been  a  march al  in  an  halle. 

A  large  man  he  was  with  eyen  stepe,2 
A  fairer  burgeys  was  ther  noon  in  Chepe  ; 3 
Boold  of  his  speche,  and  wys  and  well  ytaught, 
And  of  manhod  hym  lakkede  right  naught. 

Eek  therto  he  was  right  a  myrie  man, 

And  after  soper  pleyen  4  he  bigan, 

And  spak  of  myrthe  amonges  othere  thynges, 
Whan  that  we  hadde  maad  our  rekenynges  ;  760 
And  seyde  thus  :  “  Now,  lordynges,  trewely, 

Ye  been  to  me  right  welcome  hertely; 

For  by  my  trouthe,  if  that  I  shal  nat  lye, 

I  saugh  nat  this  yeer  so  myrie  a  compaignye 
Atones  in  this  herberwe  5  as  is  now ; 

Fayn  wolde  I  doon  yow  myrthe,  wiste  I  how. 
And  of  a  myrthe  I  am  right  now  bythoght, 

To  doon  yow  ese,  and  it  shal  coste  noght. 

“  Ye  goon  to  Canterbury,  God  yow  speede, 
The  blisful  martir  quite  yow  youre  meede  !  770 
And  wel  I  woot  as  ye  goon  by  the  weye 
Ye  shapen  yow  6  to  talen7  and  to  pleye  ; 

For  trewely  confort  ne  myrthe  is  noon 

1  Not  in  Ellesmere  MS.  3  Bright.  3  The  Market,  now  called 
Cheanside.  4  To  make  pleasantry.  5  Lodging-place.  ®  Plan. 
7  Tell  tales. 


THE  HOST’S  PLAN  FOR  STORIES.  3 1 

To  ride  by  the  weye  doumb  as  the  stoon  ; 

And  therfore  wol  I  maken  yow  disport, 

As  I  seyde  erst,  and  doon  yow  som  confort. 
And  if  you  liketh  alle  by  oon  assent 
For  to  stonden  at  my  juggement, 

And  for  to  werken  as  I  shal  yow  seye, 

To  morwe,  whan  ye  riden  by  the  weye,  780 
Now  by  my  fader  soule  that  is  deed, 

But  if  ye  be  myrie,  I  wol  geve  yow  myn 
heed  ! 

Hoold  up  youre  hond  withouten  moore  speche.” 

Oure  conseil  was  nat  longe  for  to  seche  ; 

Us  thoughte  it  was  noght  worth  to  make  it 
wys,1 

And  graunted  hym  withouten  moore  avys, 

And  bad  him  seye  his  voirdit 2  as  hym  leste. 

“  Lordynges,”  quod  he,  “  now  herkneth  for 
the  beste, 

But  taak  it  nought,  I  prey  yow,  in  desdeyn ; 
This  is“the  poynt,  to  speken  short  and  pleyn,  790 
That  ech  of  yow  to  shorte  with  oure  weye, 

In  this  viage  shal  telle  tales  tweye,  — 

To  Caunterburyward  I  mean  it  so, 

And  homward  he  shal  tellen  othere  two,  — 

Of  aventures  that  whilom  han  bif alle. 

And  which  of  yow  that  bereth  hym  best  of  alle, 
That  is  to  seyn,  that  telleth  in  this  caas 
Tales  of  best  sentence 3  and  moost  solaas, 

Shal  have  a  soper  at  oure  aller  cost,4  (801  t.) 

1  To  deliberate.  2  Verdict.  3  Sense.  4  At  the  cost  of  all  of  us. 


32 


THE  GENERAL  PROLOGUE. 


Heere  in  this  place,  sittynge  by  this  post,  800 
Whan  that  we  come  agayn  fro  Caunterbury. 
And,  for  to  make  yow  the  moore  mury, 

I  wol  my-selfe  goodly  with  yow  ryde 
Right  at  myn  owene  cost,  and  be  youre  gyde, 
And  who  so  wole  my  juggement  withseye 
Shal  paye  al  that  we  spenden  by  the  weye. 

And  if  ye  vouche-sauf  that  it  be  so 
Tel  me  anon,  with-outen  wordes  mo, 

And  I  wol  erly  shape  1  me  therfore.” 

This  thyng  was  graunted,  and  oure  othes 
swore  810 

With  ful  glad  herte,  and  preyden  hym  also 
That  he  would  vouche-sauf  for  to  do  so, 

And  that  he  wolde  been  oure  governour, 

And  of  our  tales  juge  and  reportour, 

And  sette  a  soper  at  a  certeyn  pris 
And  we  wol  reuled  been  at  his  devys 
In  heigh  and  lough ;  and  thus  by  oon  assent 
We  been  acorded  to  his  juggement. 

And  ther-up-on  the  wyn  was  fet2  anon  ; 

We  dronken  and  to  reste  wente  echon  3  820 

With-outen  any  lenger  taryynge. 

Amorwe,  whan  that  day  gan  for  to  sprynge, 
Up  roos  oure  Hoost  and  was  oure  aller  cok,4 
And  gadrede  us  togidre  alle  in  a  flok, 

And  forth  we  riden,  a  litel  moore  than  paas,5 
Un-to  the  wateryng  of  Seint  Thomas  ;6 

1  Prepare.  2  Fetched.  3  Each  one.  4  Cock,  or  alarm,  for  us  all. 
6  At  a  slow  trot.  6  The  second  milestone  on  the  old  road  to  Canter¬ 
bury. 


“now  draweth  cut.”  33 

And  there  oure  Hoost  bigan  his  hors  areste 
And  seyde,  “Lordynges,  herkneth  if  yow  leste  : 
Ye  woot  youre  fore  ward  1  and  I  it  yow  recorde. 
If  even-song  and  morwe-song  accorde,  830 

Lat  se  now  who  shal  telle  the  firste  tale. 

As  evere  mote  I  drynke  wyn  or  ale, 

Who  so  be  rebel  to  my  juggement 

Shal  paye  for  all  that  by  the  wey  is  spent ! 

Now  draweth  cut,  er  that  we  ferrer  twynne.2 
He  which  that  hath  the  shorteste  shal  bigynne. 
Sire  Knyght,”  quod  he,  “my  mayster  and  my 
lord, 

Now  draweth  cut,  for  that  is  myn  accord. 
Cometh  neer,”  quod  he,  “  my  lady  Prioresse, 
And  ye  sire  Clerk,  lat  be  your  shamefast- 
nesse,  840 

Ne  studieth  noght ;  ley  hond  to,  every  man.” 

Anon  to  drawen  every  wight  bigan 
And,  shortly  for  to  tellen  as  it  was, 

Were  it  by  aventure,  or  sort,  or  cas, 

The  sothe  is  this,  the  cut  hi  to  the  knyght, 

Of  which  ful  blithe  and  glad  was  every  wyght : 
And  telle  he  moste  his  tale  as  was  resoun 
By  foreward  and  by  composicioun, 

As  ye  han  herd  ;  what  nedeth  wordes  mo  ? 

An  whan  this  goode  man  saugh  that  it  was  so, 
As  he  that  wys  was  and  obedient  851 

To  kepe  his  forewarcl  by  his  free  assent, 

1  Promise.  2  Proceed. 


VOL.  I. 


34 


THE  KNIGHT  S  TALE. 


He  seyde,  “  Syn  I  shal  bigynne  the  game, 
What,  welcome  be  the  cut  a  Goddes  name  ! 
Now  lat  us  ryde,  and  herkneth  what  I  seye.” 
And  with  that  word  we  ryden  forth  oure  weye, 
And  he  bigan  with  right  a  myrie  cheere' 

His  tale  anon,  and  seyde  in  this  manere.  (860  t.) 


TALES  OF  THE  FIRST  DAY. 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Knyghtes  Tale} 

Whilom,  as  olde  stories  tellen  us,  (861  t.) 
Ther  was  a  due  that  highte  Theseus  ;  860 

Of  Atthenes  he  was  lord  and  governour, 

And  in  his  tyme  swich  a  conquerour, 

That  gretter  was  ther  noon  under  the  sonne. 
Ful  many  a  riche  contree  hadde  he  wonne ; 
That  with  his  wysdom  and  his  chivalrie  2 
He  conquered  al  the  regne  3  of  Femenye  4 
That  whilom  was  ycleped  Scithia  ; 

And  weddede  the  queene  Ypolita, 

And  broghte  hire  hoom  with  hym  in  his  contree 


1  Mr.  Furnivall  says  with  regard  to  the  origin  of  this  tale,  which 
has  been  styled  “  a  translation  ”  of  the  Teseide  of  Boccaccio,  “  Of 
Chaucer’s  lines  he  has  translated  two  hundred  and  seventy  (less  than 
one  eighth)  from  Boccaccio;  only  three  hundred  and  seventy-four 
more  bear  a  general  likeness  to  Boccaccio;  only  one  hundred  and 
thirty-two  more  a  slight  likeness.”  A  few  lines  are  taken  from 
Boethius,  but  the  entire  poem  is  an  adaptation  of  the  Teseide ,  which, 
however,  comprises  over  nine  thousand  lines,  the  treatment  of  the 
details  being  very  dissimilar  at  many  points.  2  Knightly  exploits. 
3  Kingdom.  4  Amazons. 


THESEUS  AND  HIPPOLYTA.  35 

With  muchel  glorie  and  greet  solempnytee,  870 
And  eek  hir  faire  suster  Emelye. 

And  thus  with  yictorie  and  with  melodye 
Lete  I  this  noble  due  to  Atthenes  ryde 
And  al  his  hoost  in  armes  hym  bisyde. 

And  certes,  if  it  nere  1  to  long  to  heere, 

I  wolde  have  toold  yow  fully  the  manere 
How  wonnen  was  the  regne  of  Femenye 
By  Theseus  and  by  his  chivalrye  ; 2 
And  of  the  grete  bataille  for  the  nones 
Bitwixen  Atthenes  and  Amazones  ;  880 

And  how  asseged  3  was  Ypolita, 

The  faire,  hardy  queene  of  Scithia, 

And  of  the  feste  that  was  at  hir  weddynge, 

And  of  the  tempest  at  hir  hoom  comynge  ; 

But  al  that  thyng  I  moot  as  now  forbere. 

I  have,  God  woot,  a  large  feeld  to  ere,4 
And  wayke  been  the  oxen  in  my  plough. 

The  rerfienant  of  the  tale  is  long  ynough, 

I  wol  nat  letten 5  eek  noon  of  this  route. 

Lat  every  felawe  telle  his  tale  aboute,  890 
And  lat  se  now  who  shal  the  soper  wynne, 

And  ther  I  lefte  I  wol  ageyn  bigynne. 

This  due  of  whom  I  make  mencioun, 

Whan  he  was  come  almost  un-to  the  toun 
In  al  his  wele,6  and  in  his  mooste  pride, 

He  was  war,  as  he  caste  his  eye  aside, 

Where  that  ther  kneled  in  the  weye  (899  t.) 

1  Were  not.  2  Knights.  3  Besieged.  4  Plow.  6  Hinder 
8  Opulence. 


36  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

A  compaignye  of  ladyes,  tweye  and  tweye, 

Ech  after  oother  clad  in  clothes  blake  ; 

But  swich  a  cry  and  swich  a  wo  they  make  900 
That  in  this  world  nys  creature  lyvynge 
That  herde  swich  another  waymentynge  : 1 
And  of  this  cry  they  nolde  2  nevere  stenten, 

Til  they  the  reynes  of  his  brydel  henten.3 
“  What  folk  been  ye,  that  at  myn  horn 
comynge 

Perturben  so  my  feste  with  criynge  ?  ” 

Quod  Theseus.  “  Have  ye  so  greet  envye 
Of  myn  honour,  that  thus  compleyne  and  crye  ? 
Or  who  hath  yow  mysboden4  or  offended  ? 

And  telleth  me  if  it  may  been  amended  9x0 
And  why  that  ye  been  clothed  thus  in  blak  ?  ” 
The  eldeste  lady  of  hem  alle  spak 
Whan  she  hadde  swowned5  with  a  deedly 
cheere  ^ 

That  it  was  routhe  7  for  to  seen  and  heere, 

And  seyde,  “  Lord,  to  whom  fortune  hath  geven 
Victorie,  and  as  a  conqueror  to  lyven, 

Nat  greveth  us  youre  glorie  and  youre  hon¬ 
our, 

But  we  biseken  mercy  and  socour.8 

Have  mercy  on  oure  wo  and  oure  distresse. 

Som  drope  of  pitee  thurgh  thy  gentillesse  920 

1  Wailing.  2  Would  not.  *  Seized.  4  Injured.  5  Fainted. 
6  Countenance.  7  Pity.  8  The  story  of  the  Seven  agai?ist  Thebes 
relates  that  it  was  Adrastus,  one  of  the  Seven,  the  one  who  survived, 
who  went  to  ask  Theseus  to  take  vengeance  on  Creon,  and  to  en¬ 
force  the  burial  of  the  bodies  of  the  heroes  who  had  lost  their  lives 
during  the  siege. 


THE  WAILING  QUEENS.  2>7 

Up-on  us  wrecched  wommen  lat  thou  falle, 

For  certes,  lord,  ther  is  noon  of  us  alle 
That  she  nath  1  been  a  duchesse  or  a  queene. 
Now  be  we  caytyves,2  as  it  is  wel  seene  : 
Thanked  be  Fortune  and  hire  false  wheel, 

That  noon  estat  assureth  to  be  week 
And  certes,  lord,  to  abyden  youre  presence 
Heere  in  the  temple  of  the  goddesse  Clemence 
We  han  ben  waitynge  al  this  fourtenyght  ; 

Now  help  us,  lord,  sith  it  is  in  thy  myght.  930 
“  I  wrecche,  which  that  wepe  and  crie  thus, 
Was  whilom  wyf  to  kyng  Cappaneus, 

That  starf 8  at  Thebes,  —  cursed  be  that  day,  — 
And  alle  we  that  been  in  this  array, 

And  maken  al  this  lamentacioun. 

We  losten  alle  oure  housbondes  at  that  toun, 
Whil  that  the  seege  ther  aboute  lay, 

And  yet  now  the  olde  Creon,  weylaway  ! 

That  lord  is  now  of  Thebes,  the  citee, 

Fulfild  of  ire  and  of  iniquitee,  940 

He  for  despit  and  for  his  tirannye, 

To  do  the  dede  bodyes  vileynye 
Of  alle  oure  lordes,  whiche  that  been  slawe, 
Hath  alle  the  bodyes  on  an  heepe  ydrawe 
And  wol  nat  suffren  hem,  by  noon  assent, 
Neither  to  been  yburyed  nor  ybrent, 

But  maketh  houndes  ete  hem  in  despit.” 

And  with  that  word,  with-outen  moore  re- 
spit,  (950  T.) 

1  Ne  hath.  Elies.  MS.  1  Captives.  3  Died.  He  was  struck  by 
lightning  from  Jove.  Cf.  Troylus  and  Cryseyde,v.  1509,  1517. 


38  THE  knight’s  tale. 

They  fillen  gruf,1  and  criden  pitously, 

“  Have  on  us  wrecched  wommen  som  mercy  950 
And  lat  oure  sorwe  synken  in  thyn  herte.” 

This  gentil  due  doun  from  his  courser  sterte 
With  herte  pitous,  whan  he  herde  hem  speke. 
Hym  thoughte  that  his  herte  wolde  breke 
Whan  he  saugh  hem,  so  pitous  and  so  maat,2 
That  whilom  weren  of  so  greet  estaat ; 

And  in  his  armes  he  hem  alle  up  hente,3 
And  hem  conforteth  in  ful  good  entente, 

And  swoor  his  ooth,  as  he  was  trewe  knyght, 
He  wolde  doon  so  ferforthly  his  myght  960 
Upon  the  tiraunt  Creon  hem  to  wreke, 

That  all  the  peple  of  Grece  sholde  speke 
How  Creon  was  of  Theseus  yserved 
As  he  that  hadde  his  deeth  ful  wel  deserved. 
And  right  anoon,  with-outen  moore  abood, 

His  baner  he  desplayeth  and  forth  rood 
To  Thebesward,  and  al  his  hoost  biside. 

No  neer4  Atthenes  wolde  he  go  5  ne  ride, 

Ne  take  his  ese  fully  half  a  day, 

But  onward  on  his  wey  that  nyght  he  lay;  970 
And  sente  anon  Ypolita  the  queene, 

And  Emelye  hir  yonge  suster  sheene, 

Un-to  the  toun  of  Atthenes  to  dwelle, 

And  forth  he  rit ; 6  ther  is  namoore  to  telle. 

The  rede  statue  of  Mars  with  spere  and  targe 
So  shyneth  in  his  white  baner  large, 

That  alle  the  feeldes7  glyteren  up  and  doun, 

1  Flat.  2  Dejected.  3  Seized.  4  Nearer.  3  Walk.  6  Rides. 
1  Heraldic  fields. 


THE  QUEENS  AVENGED.  39 

And  by  his  baner  born  is  his  penoun 
Of  gold  ful  riche,  in  which  ther  was  ybete  1  979 
The  Mynotaur,  which  that  he  slough  in  Crete. 

Thus  rit  this  due,  thus  rit  this  conquerour, 
And  in  his  hoost  of  chivalrie  the  flour, 

Til  that  he  cam  to  Thebes,  and  alighte 
Faire  in  a  feeld,  ther  as  he  thoughte  fighte. 

But,  shortly  for  to  speken  of  this  thyng, 

With  Creon,  which  that  was  of  Thebes  kyng, 
He  faught,  and  slough  hym  manly  as  a  knyght, 
In  pleyn  bataille,  and  putte  the  folk  to  flyght, 
And  by  assaut  he  wan  the  citee  after 
And  rente  adoun  bothe  wall  and  sparre  and 
rafter,  990 

And  to  the  ladyes  he  restored  agayn 
The  bones  of  hir  housbondes  that  weren  slayn, 
To  doon  obsequies  as  was  tho 2  the  gyse. 

But  it  were  al  to  longe  for  to  devyse 
The  grete  clamour  and  the  waymentynge 
That  the  ladyes  made  at  the  brennynge 
Of  the  bodies,  and  the  grete  honour 
That  Theseus,  the  noble  conquerour,  (1000  t.) 
Dooth  to  the  ladyes  whan  they  from  hym  wente  ; 
But  shortly  for  to  telle  is  myn  entente.  1000 
Whan  that  this  worthy  due,  this  Theseus, 
Hath  Creon  slayn,  and  wonne  Thebes  thus, 
Stifle  in  that  feeld  he  took  al  nyght  his  reste, 
And  elide  with  al  the  contree  as  hym  leste. 

To  ransake  in  the  taas  8  of  bodyes  dede, 

Hem  for  to  strepe  of  harneys  and  of  wede, 

1  Limned.  1  Then.  3  Heap. 


40 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


The  pilours  1  diclen  bisynesse  and  cure 
After  the  bataille  and  disconfiture. 

And  so  bifel  that  in  the  taas  they  founde, 
Thurgh-girt 2  with  many  a  grevous,  blody 
wounde,  ioio 

Two  yonge  knyghtes,  liggynge  by  and  by,3 
Bothe  in  oon  armes,4  wroght  ful  richely, 

Of  whiche  two  Arcita  highte  that  oon, 

And  that  oother  knyght  highte  Palamon. 

Nat  fully  quyke,  ne  fully  dede  they  were, 

But  by  here  cote-armures  and  by  hir  gere 
The  heraudes  knewe  hem  best  in  special 
As  they  that  weren  of  the  blood  roial 
Of  Thebes,  and  of  sustren  twro  yborn. 

Out  of  the  taas  the  pilours  han  hem  torn  1020 
And  han  hem  caried  softe  un-to  the  tente 
Of  Theseus,  and  ful  soone  he  hem  sente 
To  Atthenes  to  dwellen  in  prisoun 
Perpetuelly,  he  nolde  5  no  raunsoun. 

And  whan  this  worthy  due  hath  thus  ydon, 

He  took  his  hoost  and  hoom  he  rood  anon, 
With  laurer  crowned  as  a  conquerour  ; 

And  ther  he  lyveth  in  joye  and  in  honour 
Terme  of  his  lyve ;  what  necleth  wordes  mo  ? 
And  in  a  tour,  in  angwissh  and  in  wo,  1030 
This  Palamon  and  his  felawe  Arcite 
For  everemoore,  ther  may  no  gold  hem  quite.0 
This  passeth  yeer  by  yeer  and  day  by  day, 

1  Plunderers.  8  Pierced.  3  Lying  separately.  4  Kind  of  armor. 
5  Ne  wolde  =  would  not.  0  Liberate. 


EMELYE  AT  SUNRISE. 


41 


Till  it  fil  ones  in  a  morvve  of  May 
That  Emelye,  that  fairer  was  to  sene 
Than  is  the  lylie  upon  his  stalke  grene, 

And  fressher  than  the  May  with  floures  newe,  — 
For  with  the  rose  colour  stroof  hire  hewe, 

I  noot 1  which  was  the  fyner  of  hem  two,  — 

Er  it  were  day,  as  was  hir  wone 2  to  do,  1040 

She  was  arisen  and  al  redy  dight,3 

For  May  wole  have  no  slogardrie  a  nyght, 

The  sesoun  priketh  every  gentil  herte 
And  maketh  hym  out  of  his  slepe  to  sterte, 
And  seith,  “  Arys,  and  do  thyn  observaunce.” 
This  maked  Emelye  have  remembraunce 
To  doon  honour  to  May,  and  for  to  ryse. 
Yclothed  was  shefresshe  for  to  devyse;  (1050  t.) 
Hir  yelow  heer  was  broyded  in  a  tresse 
Bihynde  hir  bak  a  yerde  long,  I  gesse ;  1050 

And  in  the  gardyn  at  the  sonne  up-riste,4 
She  walketh  up  and  doun,  and  as  hire  liste 
She  gadereth  floures,  party  white  and  rede, 

To  make  a  subtil  gerland  for  hire  hede, 

And  as  an  aungel,  hevenysshly  she  soong. 

The  grete  tour  that  was  so  thikke  and 
stroong, 

Which  of  the  castel  was  the  chief  dongeoun 
(Ther  as  the  knyghtes  weren  in  prisoun, 

Of  whiche  I  tolde  yow  and  tellen  shal), 

Was  evene  joynant  to  the  gardyn  wal,  1060 
Ther  as  this  Emelye  hadde  hir  pleyynge. 

1  Ne  wot  =  know  not.  2  Wont.  3  Dressed.  4  Uprising. 


42  THE  KNIGHT'S  TALE. 

Bright  was  the  sonne,  and  cleer  that  morwen- 
ynge, 

And  this  Palamon,  this  woful  prisoner, 

As  was  his  wone,  bi  leve  of  his  gayler, 

Was  risen,  and  romed  in  a  chambre  an  heigh, 
In  which  he  al  the  noble  citee  seigh,1 
And  eek  the  gardyn  ful  of  braunches  grene, 
Ther  as  this  fresshe  Emelye  the  sheene 
Was  in  hire  walk  and  romed  up  and  doun. 

This  sorweful  prisoner,  this  Palamoun,  1070 
Goth  in  the  chambre  romynge  to  and  fro, 

And  to  hym-self  compleynynge  of  his  wo  ; 
That  he  was  born,  ful  ofte  he  seyde,  “  alias  !  ” 
And  so  bifel,  by  aventure  or  cas,2 
That  thurgh  a  wyndow,  thikke  of  many  a  barre 
Of  iren,  greet  and  square  as  any  sparre, 

He  cast  his  eyen  upon  Emelya, 

And  ther  with  al  he  bleynte  3  and  cride,  “  A  !  ” 
As  though  he  stongen  were  un-to'the  herte. 
And  with  that  cry  Arcite  anon  up  sterte,  1080 
And  seyde,  “  Cosyn  myn,  what  eyleth  thee, 
That  art  so  pale  and  deedly  on  to  see  ? 

Why  cridestow  ?  who  hath  thee  doon  offence  ? 
For  Goddes  love,  taak  al  in  pacience 
Oure  prisoun,  for  it  may  noon  oother  be  ; 
Fortune  hath  geven  us  this  adversitee. 

Som  wikke  aspect  or  disposicioun 
Of  Saturne,4  by  sum  constellacioun,  1088 

1  Saw.  2  Chance.  3  Started.  4  An  unpropitious  star.  See  In¬ 
troduction,  for  all  astrological  allusions. 


PALAMON’s  PATNS,  —  AND  ARCITe’s.  43 

Hath  geven  us  this,  al  though  we  hackle  it  sworn. 
So  stood  the  hevene  whan  that  we  were  born  ; 
We  moste  endure  :  this  is  the  short  and  playn.’"' 

This  Palamon  answerde,  and  seyde  agayn, 

“  Cosyn,  for  sothe  of  this  opinioun 
Thow  hast  a  veyn  ymaginacioun  ; 

This  prison  caused  me  nat  for  to  crye, 

But  I  was  hurt  right  now  thurgh  out  myn  eye 
In  to  myn  herte,  that  wol  my  bane  be. 

The  fairnesse  of  that  lady  that  I  see  (1100  t.) 
Yond  in  the  gardyn  rornen  to  and  fro 
Is  cause  of  al  my  criyng  and  my  wo.  1100 
I  noot  wher 1  she  be  woraman  or  goddesse, 

But  Venus  is  it,  soothly  as  I  gesse.” 

And  ther  with  al  on  knees  doun  he  fil 
And  seyde  :  “  Venus,  if  it  be  thy  wil 
Yow  in  this  gardyn  thus  to  transfigure 
Bifore  me,  sorweful,  wrecche  creature, 

Out  of  this  prisoun  helpe  that  we  may  scapen. 
And  if  so  be  my  destynee  be  shapen, 

By  eterne  word,  to  dyen  in  prisoun, 

Of  our  lynage  have  som  compassioun,  mo 
That  is  so  lowe  ybroght  by  tirannye.” 

And  with  that  word  Arcite  gan  espye 
Wher  as  this  lady  romed  to  and  fro, 

And  with  that  sighte  hir  beautee  hurte  hym  so, 
That  if  that  Palamon  was  wounded  sore, 

Arcite  is  hurt  as  moche  as  he,  or  moore; 

And  with  a  sigh  he  seyde  pitously  : 


1  Know  not  whether. 


44 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


“  The  fresshe  beautee  sleeth  me  sodeynly 
Of  hire  that  rometh  in  the  yonder  place, 

And  but  I  have  hir  mercy  and  hir  grace  1120 
That  I  may  seen  hire  atte 1  leeste  weye 
I  nam  but  deed  ;  ther  is  namoore  to  seye.” 

This  Palamon,  whan  he  tho  wordes  herde, 
Dispitously2  he  looked  and  answerde, 

“  Wheither  seistow 3  this  in  ernest  or  in  pley  ?  ” 
“Nay,”  quod  Arcite,  “in  ernest,  by  my  fey! 
God  helpe  me  so,  me  list  ful  yvele  pleye.” 

This  Palamon  gan  knytte  his  browes  tweye, 
“  It  nere,” 4  quod  he,  “  to  thee  no  greet  hon¬ 
our, 

For  to  be  fals,  ne  for  to  be  traitour  1130 

To  me,  that  am  thy  cosyn  and  thy  brother 
Ysworn  ful  depe,  and  ech  of  us  til  oother, 

That  nevere  for  to  dyen  in  the  peyne,5 
Til  that  deeth  departe 6  shal  us  tweyne, 

Neither  of  us  in  love  to  hyndre  oother 
Ne  in  noon  oother  cas,  my  leeve  brother, 

But  that  thou  sholdest  trewely  forth ren  me 
In  every  cas,  as  I  shal  forthren  thee.  1138 
This  was  thyn  ooth,  and  myn  also  certeyn  ; 

I  woot  right  wel  thou  darst  it  nat  withseyn. 
Thus  artow 7  of  my  conseil,  out  of  doute  : 8 
And  now  thow  woldest  falsly  been  aboute 
To  love  my  lady,  whom  I  love  and  serve, 

And  evere  shal,  til  that  myn  herte  sterve.9 

1  At  the.  2  Angrily.  3  Sayest  thou.  4  Were  not.  5  Torture, 
ordeal.  6  Separate,  as  formerly  in  the  English  marriage  service. 
7  Art  thou.  8  Indisputably.  9  Die. 


45 


“  1  LOVED  HIRE  FIRST.” 

Nay,  certes,  false  Arcite,  thow  shalt  nat  so  ; 

I  loved  hire  first,  and  tolde  thee  my  wo 
As  to  my  conseil,  and  to  my  brother  sworn 
To  forthre  me,  as  I  have  toold  biforn.  (1150  t.) 
For  which  thou  art  ybounden  as  a  knyght 
To  helpen  me,  if  it  lay  in  thy  myght,  1150 
Or  elles  artow  fals,  I  dar  wel  seyn.” 

This  Arcite  ful  proudly  spak  ageyn  ; 

“  Thow  shalt,”  quod  he,  “  be  rather  fals  than  I, 
And  thou  art  fals,  I  telle  thee,  outrely, 

For  par  amour  I  loved  hire  first  er  thow. 

What  wiltow  seyn  ?  thou  wistest  nat  yet  now 
Wheither  she  be  a  woniman  or  goddesse  ! 

Thyn  is  affeccioun  of  hoolynesse, 

And  myn  is  love  as  to  a  creature, 

For  which  I  tolde  thee  myn  aventure  1160 
As  to  my  cosyn  and  my  brother  sworn. 

I  pose  1  that  thow  lovedest  hire  biforn, 
Wostow2  nat  wel  the  olde  clerkes  3  sawe, 

That  who  shal  geve  a  lover e  any  lawe ; 

Love  is  a  gretter  lawe ,  by  my  panp 
Than  may  be  geve  of  any  erthely  man  ? 

And  therfore  positif  lawe  and  swich  decree 
Is  broken  al  day  for  love  in  ech  degree. 

A  man  moot  nedes  love  maugree  his  heed ; 

He  may  nat  flee  it,  thogh  he  sholde  be  deed, 
Al  be  she  mayde,  or  wydwe,  or  elles  wyf ; 

And  eek  it  is  nat  likly  al  thy  lyf  1172 

1  Put  it.  2  Knowest  thou.  8  See  Boethius,  book  iii.,  met.  12. 
4  Brain-pan,  head. 


4 6  the  knight’s  tale. 

To  stonden  in  hir  grace,  namoore  shal  I ; 

For  wel  thou  woost,  thy  selven  verraily, 

That  thou  and  I  be  dampned  to  prisoun 
Perpetuelly,  us  gayneth  no  raunsoun. 

We  stryven  as  dide  the  houndes  for  the  boon, 
They  foughte  al  day,  and  yet  hir  part  was  noon  ; 
Ther  cam  a  kyte,  whil  they  weren  so  wrothe, 
And  baar  awey  the  boon  bitwixe  hem  bothe ; 
And  therfore,  at  the  kynges  court,  my  brother, 
Ech  man  for  hym-self,  ther  is  noon  oother. 
Love,  if  thee  list,  for  I  love  and  ay  shal,  1183 
And  soothly,  leeve  brother,  this  is  al. 

Heere  in  this  prisoun  moote  we  endure 
And  everich  of  us  take  his  aventure.” 

Greet  was  the  strif,  and  long,  bitwix  hem 
tweye, 

If  that  I  hadde  leyser  for  to  seye ; 

But  to  theffect.  It  happed  on  a  day,  — 

To  telle  it  yow  as  shortly  as  I  may,  —  1190 

A  worthy  due,  that  highte  Perotheus, 

That  felawe  was  to  due  Theseus, 

Syn  thilke  day  that  they  were  children  lite, 

Was  come  to  Atthenes,  his  felawe  to  visite, 
And  for  to  pleye,  as  he  was  wont  to  do ; 

For  in  this  world  he  loved  no  man  so, 

And  he  loved  hym  als  tendrely  agayn. 

So  wel  they  lovede,  as  oldbookes  sayn,  (1200  t.) 
That  whan  that  oon  was  deed,  soothly  to  telle, 
His  felawe  wente  and  soughte  hym  doun  in 
helle, —  1200 


ARCITE  RELEASED. 


47 


But  of  that  storie  list  me  nat  to  write. 

Due  Perotheus  loved  wel  Arcite, 

And  hadde  hym  knowe  at  Thebes  yeer  by 
yere ; 

And  finally,  at  request  and  preyere 
Of  Perotheus,  with-outen  any  raunsoun, 

Due  Theseus  hym  leet  out  of  prisoun 
Frely  to  goon  wher  that  hym  liste  over  al, 

In  swich  a  gyse  as  I  you  tellen  shal. 

This  was  the  forward,1  pleynly  for  tendite, 
Bitwixen  Theseus  and  hym  Arcite;  1210 

That  if  so  were  that  Arcite  were  yfounde, 
Evere  in  his  lif,  by  day  or  nyght,  o  stounde,2 
In  any  contree  of  this  Theseus, 

And  he  were  caught,  it  was  acorded  thus, 

That  with  a  swerd  he  sholde  lese  3  his  heed  : 
Ther  nas  noon  oother  remedie,  ne  reed,4 
But  taketh  his  leve  and  homward  he  him 
spedde : 

Lat  hym  be  war,  his  nekke  lith  to  wedde.6 

How  greet  a  sorwe  suffreth  now  Arcite  ! 

The  deeth  he  feeleth  thurgh  his  herte  smyte  ; 
He  wepeth,  wayleth,  crieth  pitously  ;  1221 

To  sleen  hym-self  he  waiteth  prively. 

He  seyde,  “Allas  that  day  that  I  was  born ! 
Now  is  my  prisoun  worse  than  biforn  ; 

Now  is  me  shape  6  eternally  to  dwelle, 

Nat  in  my  purgatorie,  but  in  helle. 


1  Agreement.  2  One  moment.  Most  MSS.  read,  with  theElles. , 
or  stounde.”  3  Lose.  4  Plan.  8  Lieth  in  pledge.  6  Ordained. 


48  the  knight’s  tale. 

Allas  that  evere  knew  I  Perotheus  ! 

For  elles  hadde  I  dwelled  with  Theseus 
Yfetered  in  his  prisoun  everemo. 

Thanne  hadde  I  been  in  blisse,  and  nat  in 
wo,  1230 

Oonly  the  sighte  of  hire  whom  that  I  serve,  — 
Though  that  I  nevere  hir  grace  may  deserve,  — 
Wolde  han  suffised  right  ynough  for  me. 

O  deere  cosyn  Palamon,”  quod  he, 

“Thyn  is  the  victorie  of  this  aventure 
Ful  blisfully  in  prison  maistow 1  dure, — 

In  prisoun  ?  certes  nay,  but  in  paradys ! 

Wei  hath  Fortune  y-turned  thee  the  dys, 

That  hast  the  sighte  of  hire  and  I  thabsence, 
For  possible  is,  syn  thou  hast  hire  presence, 
And  art  a  knyght,  a  worthy  and  an  able,  1241 
That  som  cas,2  syn  Fortune  is  chaungeable, 
Thow  maist  to  thy  desir  some  tyme  atteyne, 
But  I,  that  am  exiled  and  bareyne 
Of  alle  grace,  and  in  so  greet  dispeir, 

That  ther  nys  erthe,  water,  fir,  ne  eir, 

Ne  creature,  that  of  hem  maked  is,  (1249  t.) 
That  may  me  heele,  or  doon  confort  in  this. 
Wei  oughte  I  sterve  in  wanhope  and  distresse  ; 
Farwel,  my  lif,  my  lust  and  my  gladnesse  !  1250 
“Allas,  why  pleynen3  folk  so  in  commune 
Of  purvieaunce  4  of  God,  or  of  Fortune, 

That  geveth  hem  ful  ofte  in  many  a  gyse 
Wei  bettre  than  they  kan  hem  self  devyse  ? 


1  Mayest  thou.  2  Chance. 


3  Complain.  4  Providence. 


WHY  COMPLAIN  OF  PROVIDENCE  ?  49 

Som  man  desireth  for  to  han  richesse, 

That  cause  is  of  his  moerdre,  or  greet  sik- 
nesse ; 

And  som  man  wolde  out  of  his  prisoun  fayn, 
That  in  his  hous  is  of  his  meynee  1  slayn. 
Infinite  harmes  been  in  this  mateere, 

We  witen  nat  what  thing  we  preyen  heere.  1260 
We  faren  as  he  that  dronke  is  as  a  mous. 

A  dronke  man  woot  wel  that  he  hath  an  hous, 
But  he  noot2  which  the  righte  wey  is  thider, 
And  to  a  dronke  man  the  wey  is  slider  ; 3 
And  certes  in  this  world  so  faren  we,  — ■ 

We  seken  faste  after  felicitee, 

But  we  goon  wrong  ful  often  trewely. 

Thus  may  we  seyn  alle,  and  namely  I, 

That  wende 4  and  hadde  a  greet  opinioun 
That  if  I  myghte  escapen  from  prisoun,  1270 
Thanne  hadde  I  been  in  joye  and  perfit  heele,6 
That  now  I  am  exiled  fro  my  wele.6 
Syn  that  I  may  nat  seen  you,  Emelye, 

I  nam  but  deed,  there  nys  no  remedye.” 

Upon  that  oother  syde,  Palamon, 

Whan  that  he  wiste  Arcite  was  agon, 

Swich  sorwe  he  maketh  that  the  grete  tour 
Resouned  of  his  youlyng7  and  clamour; 

The  pure  8  fettres  on  his  shynes  grete 
Weren  of  his  bittre,  salte  teeres  wete.  1280 
“  Allas  !  ”  quod  he,  “  Arcita,  cosyn  myn, 

1  Domestics,  menials.  2  Knows  not.  3  Slippery.  4  Supposed. 
5  Health.  0  Wealth,  weal.  7  Yelling.  8  Very. 

VOL.  I.  4 


50 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Of  al  oure  strif,  God  woof,  the  fruyt  is  thyn  ; 
Thow  walkest  now  in  Thebes  at  thy  large, 

And  of  my  wo  thow  gevest  litel  charge. 

Thou  mayst,  syn  thou  hast  wysdom  and  man- 
hede, 

Assemblen  alle  the  folk  of  oure  kynrede, 

And  make  a  werre  so  sharpe  on  this  citee, 

That  by  som  aventure,  or  som  tretee, 

Thow  mayst  have  hire  to  lady  and  to  wyf 
For  whom  that  I  moste  nedes  lese  my  lyf.  1290 
For  as  by  wey  of  possibilitee, 

Sith  thou  art  at  thy  large  of  prisoun  free, 

And  art  a  lord,  greet  is  thyn  avauntage, 

Moore  than  is  myn  that  sterve  here  in  a 
cage; 

For  I  moot  wepe  and  wayle  whil  I  lyve, 

With  al  the  wo  that  prison  may  me  geve, 

And  eek  with  peyne  that  love  me  geveth  also, 
That  doubleth  al  my  torment  and  my  wo.” 

Ther  with  the  fyr  of  jalousie  up  sterte 
With-inne  his  brest,  and  hente  1  him  by  the 
herte  1300 

So  woodly,2  that  he  lyk  was  to  biholde 
The  boxtree,  or  the  asshen,  dede  and  colde.3 
Thanne  seyde  he,  “  O  crueel  gooddes  that 
governe  (I3°5  T-) 

This  world  with  byndyng  of  youre  word  eterne, 
And  writen  in  the  table  of  atthamaunt 4 
Youre  parlement  and  youre  eterne  graunt, 

1  Seized.  2  Madly.  8  Cf.  1.  1364.  4  Adamant. 


man’s  sad  state. 


51 


What  is  mankynde  rnoore  un-to  you  holde 
Than  is  the  sheepe  that  rouketh  1  in  the  folde  ? 
For  slayn  is  man,  right  as  another  beest, 

And  dwelleth  eek  in  prison  and  arreest,2  1310 
And  hath  siknesse  and  greet  adversitee, 

And  ofte  tyrnes  giltelees  pardee .3 

“  What  governance  is  in  this  prescience, 
That  giltelees  tormenteth  innocence  ? 

And  yet  encresseth  this  al  my  penaunce, 

That  man  is  bounden  to  his  observaunce 
For  Goddes  sake  to  letten  of4  his  wille, 

Ther  as  a  beest  may  al  his  lust  fulfille  ; 

And  whan  a  beest  is  deed  he  hath  no  peyne  ; 
But  after  his  deeth  man  moot  wepe  and  pleyne, 
Though  in  this  world  he  have  care  and  wo,  — 
With-outen  doute  it  may  stonden  so.  1322 
The  answere  of  this  lete  I  to  dyvynys, 

But  well  I  woot  that  in  this  world  greet  pyne 
ys. 

Allas  !  I  se  a  serpent  or  a  theef, 

That  many  a  trewe  man  hath  doon  mescheef, 
Goon  at  his  large,  and  where  hym  list  may 
turne ; 

But  I  moot  been  in  prisoun  thurgh  Saturne, 
And  eek  thurgh  Juno,  jalous  and  eek  wood, 
That  hath  destroyed  wel  ny  al  the  blood  1330 
Of  Thebes  with  hise  waste  walles  wyde  ; 

And  Venus  sleeth  me  on  that  oother  syde 
For  jalousie  and  fere  of  hym  Arcite.” 

1  Huddleth.  2  Custody.  3  Par  dieux,  by  the  gods.  4  Refrain. 


52 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Now  wol  I  stynte  of  Palamon  a  lite 
And  lete  hym  in  his  prisoun  stille  dwelle, 

And  of  Arcita  forth  I  wol  yow  telle. 

The  summer 1  passeth,  and  the  nyghtes  longe 
Encressen  double  wise  the  peynes  stronge 
Bothe  of  the  lovere  and  the  prisoner. 

I  noot  which  hath  the  wofuller  mester;2  1340 
For  shortly  for  to  seyn  this  Palamoun 
Perpetuelly  is  dampned  to  prisoun 
In  cheynes  and  in  fettres  to  been  deed, 

And  Arcite  is  exiled  upon  his  heed 
For  evere  mo  as  out  of  that  contree, 

Ne  nevere  mo  he  shal  his  lady  see.  (1348  T.) 

Yow  3  loveres,  axe  I  now  this  questioun, 

Who  hath  the  worse,  Arcite  or  Palamoun  ? 
That  oon  may  seen  his  lady  day  by  day, 

But  in  prisoun  he  moot  dwelle  alway  ;  1350 

That  oother  wher  hym  list  may  ride  or  go, 

But  seen  his  lady  shal  he  nevere  mo. 

Now  demeth4  as  yow  liste,  ye  that  kan, 

For  I  wol  telle  forth  as  I  bigan. 

SECOND  PART. 

Whan  that  Arcite  to  Thebes  comen  was, 

Ful  ofte  a  day  he  swelte  5  and  seyde,  “  Allas  !  ” 
For  seen  his  lady  shal  he  nevere  mo. 

And,  shortly  to  concluden  al  his  wo, 

So  muche  sorwe  hadde  nevere  creature  1359 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “sonne.”  2  Necessity.  3  Elies.  MS.  has 
“now.”  4  Judge.  6  Fainted. 


ARCITE  WAXES  LEAN. 


53 


That  is  or  shal  whil  that  the  world  may  dure. 
His  slepe,  his  mete,  his  drynke,  is  hym  bi¬ 
raft, 

That  lene  he  wexeth  and  drye  as  is  a  shaft ; 
Hise  eyen  holwe,  and  grisly  to  biholde, 

His  hewe  falow 1  and  pale  as  asshen  colde, 

And  solitarie  he  was  and  evere  allone, 

And  waillynge  al  the  nyght  makynge  his  mone  : 
And  if  he  herde  song  or  instrument 
Thanne  wolde  he  wepe  he  myghte  nat  be  stent. 
So  febleeekwere  hise  spiritz  and  so  lowe,  1369 
And  chaunged  so  that  no  man  koude  knowe 
His  speche  nor  his  voys,  though  men  it  herde 
And  in  his  geere 2  for  al  the  world  he  ferde,3 
Nat  oonly  like  the  loveris  maladye 
Of  Hereos,4  but  rather  lyk  manye  5 
Engendred  of  humour  malencolik 
Biforn  his  owene  celle  6  fantastik. 

And  shortly  turned  was  al  up-so-doun 
Bothe  habit  and  eek  disposicioun 
Of  hym,  this  woful  lovere  daun  7  Arcite. 

What,  sholde  I  al  day  of  his  wo  endite  ?  — 
Whan  he  endured  hadde  a  yeer  or  two  1381 
This  crueel  torment  and  this  peyne  and  woo, 
At  Thebes,  in  his  contree,  as  I  seyde, 

Up-on  a  nyght  in  sleepe  as  he  hym  leyde, 

Hym  thoughte  how  that  the  wynged  god  Mer¬ 
curic 

1  Yellow.  2  Manner.  3  Acted.  4  Eros=Cupid.  5  Mania. 
6  Of  the  brain.  7  Sir. 


54 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Biforn  hym  stood  and  bad  hym  to  be  murie ; 
His  slepy  yerde  1  in  hond  he  bar  uprighte, 

An  hat  he  werede  upon  hise  heris2  brighte. 
Arrayed  was  this  god,  as  I  took  keepe,3 
Ashe  was  whan  that  Argus  took  his  sleepe,  1390 
And  seyde  hym  thus,  “  To  Atthenes  shallou 
wende, 

Ther  is  thee  shapen  4  of  thy  wo  an  ended’ 

And  with  that  word  Arcite  wook  and  sterte,  — 
“Now  trewely  hou  soore  that  me  smerte,” 
Quod  he,  “  to  Atthenes  right  now  wol  I  fare, 
Ne  for  the  drede  of  deeth  shal  I  nat  spare, 

To  se  my  lady  that  I  love  and  serve ;  (1399  t.) 
In  hire  presence  I  recche  nat  to  sterve.” 

And  with  that  word  he  caughte  a  greet  mir- 
our  1399 

And  saugh  that  chaunged  was  al  his  colour 
And  saugh  his  visage  al  in  another  kynde  ; 

And  right  anon  it  ran  hym  in  his  mynde 
That  sith  his  face  was  so  disfigured 
Of  maladye  the  which  he  hadde  endured, 

He  myghte  wel,  if  that  he  bar  hym  lowe, 

Lyve  in  Atthenes  everemore  unknowe, 

And  seen  his  lady  wel  ny  day  by  day. 

And  right  anon  he  chaunged  his  array 
And  cladde  hym  as  a  povre  laborer, 

And  al  allone,  save  oonly  a  squier  1410 

That  knew  his  privetee  and  al  his  cas, 

Which  was  disgised  povrely  as  he  was,  — 

1  Wand,  i.  e.,  caduceus.  2  Hairs.  3  Notice.  4  Ordained. 


ARCITE  RETURNS  TO  ATHENS.  55 

To  Atthenes  is  he  goon  the  nexte  way, 

And  to  the  court  he  wente  up-on  a  day 
And  at  the  gate  he  profreth  his  servyse 
To  drugge  1  and  drawe,  what  so  men  wol  de- 
vyse. 

And,  shortly  of  this  matere  for  to  seyn, 

He  fil  in  office  with  a  chamberleyn 
The  which  that  dwellynge  was  with  Emelye, 
For  he  was  wys  and  koude  soone  espye  1420 
Of  every  servaunt  which  that  serveth  here.2 
Wei  koude  he  he  wen  wode  and  water  here, 

For  he  was  yong,  and  myghty  for  the  nones, 
And  ther  to  he  was  long 3  and  big  of  bones, 

To  doon  that  any  wight  kan  hym  devyse. 

A  yeer  or  two  he  was  in  this  servyse, 

Page  of  the  cliambre  of  Emelye  the  brighte, 
And  Philostrate  he  seyde  that  he  highte. 

But  half  so  wel  biloved  a  man  as  he  1429 
Ne  was  ther  nevere  in  court  of  his  degree; 

He  was  so  gentil  of  his  condicioun 
That  thurghout  al  the  court  was  his  renoun. 
They  seyden  that  it  were  a  charitee 
That  Theseus  wolde  enhauncen  his  degree 
And  putten  hym  in  worshipful  servyse 
Ther  as  he  myghte  his  vertu  exercise. 

And  thus  with-inne  a  while  his  name 4  is  spronge, 
Bothe  of  hise  dedes  and  his  goode  tonge, 

That  Theseus  hath  taken  hym  so  neer,  1439 

1  Drudge.  2  Her.  3  Some  MSS.  have  “  strong.”  4  Good 

name. 


56  the  knight’s  tale. 

That  of  his  chambre  he  made  hym  a  squier, 
And  gaf  him  gold  to  mayntene  his  degree  ; 
And  eek  men  broghte  hym  out  of  his  con- 
tree, 

From  yeer  to  yeer,  ful  pryvely,  his  rente  ; 

But  honestly  and  slyly  he  it  spente 
That  no  man  wondred  how  that  he  it  hadde. 
And  thre  yeer  in  this  wise  his  lif  he  ladde 
And  bar  hym  so  in  pees,  and  eek  in  werre, 
Ther  was  no  man  that  Theseus  hath  derre.1 
And  in  this  blisse  lete  I  now  Arcite  (1451  t.) 
And  speke  I  wole  of  Palamon  a  lite.2  1450 
In  derknesse  and  horrible  and  strong  prison 
Thise  seven  yeer  hath  seten  Palamon. 
Forpyned,  what  for  wo  and  for  distresse 
Who  feeleth  double  soor  and3  hevynesse 
But  Palamon  ?  that  love  destreyneth  so 
That  wood  out  of  his  wit  he  goth  for  wo  ; 

And  eek  ther  to  he  is  a  prisoner 
Perpetuelly,  noght  only  for  a  yer. 

Who  koude  ryme  in  Englyssh  proprely 
His  martirdom  ?  for  sothe  it  am  nat  I ;  1460 

Therfore  I  passe  as  lightly  as  I  may. 

It  fel  that  in  the  seventhe  yer  in  May, 

The  thridde  nyght,  as  olde  bookes  seyn 
That  al  this  storie  tellen  moore  pleyn, 

Were  it  by  aventure  4  or  destynee,  — 

As  whan  a  thyng  is  shapen 5  it  shal  be,  — 

That  soone  after  the  mydnyght,  Palamoun, 

1  Dealer.  2  Little.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Chance.  5  Ordained. 


PALAMON  ESCAPES  TOWARDS  THEBES.  57 

By  helpyng  of  a  freend  brak  his  prisoun 
And  fleeth  the  citee  faste  as  he  may  go, 

For  he  hade  geve  his  gayler  drynke  so  1470 
Of  a  clarree,1  maad  of  a  certeyn  wyn, 

Of  nercotikes,  and  opie  2  of  Thebes  fyn, 

That  al  that  nyght,  thogh  that  men  wolde  him 
shake, 

The  gayler  sleepe,  he  myghte  nat  awake. 

And  thus  he  fleeth,  as  faste  as  evere  he 
may, 

The  nyght  was  short  and  faste  by  the  day 
That  nedes-cost 3  he  moot  him-selven  hyde, 
And  til  a  grove  faste  ther  bisyde, 

With  dredeful 4  foot,  thanne  stalketh  Pala- 
moun. 

For,  shortly,  this  was  his  opinioun,  1480 

That  in  that  grove  he  wolde  hym  hyde  al  day, 
And  in  the  nyght  thanne  wolde  he  take  his 
way 

To  Thebes-ward,  his  freendes  for  to  preye 
On  Theseus  to  helpe  him  to  werreye  ; 5 
And  shortly  outlier  he  wolde  lese  his  lif 
Or  wynnen  Emelye  un-to  his  wyf. 

This  is  theffect,  and  his  entente  pleyn. 

Now  wol  I  turne  to  Arcite  ageyn, 

That  litel  wiste  how  ny  that  was  his  care, 

Til  that  Fortune  had  broght  him  in  the  snare. 

The  bisy  larke,  messager  of  day,  1491 

Salueth  in  hir  song  the  morwe  gray, 

1  A  mixed  drink.  2  Opium.  3  Of  necessity.  4  Timorous.  3  War. 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


53 

And  firy  Phebus  riseth  up  so  brighte 
That  al  the  orient  laugheth  of  the  lighte, 

And  with  hise  stremes  dryeth  in  the  greves  1 
The  silver  dropes,  hangynge  on  the  leves. 

And  Arcite  that  is  in  the  court  roial, 

With  Theseus,  his  squier  principal,  (1500  t.) 
Is  risen,  and  looketh  on  the  myrie  day  ; 

And  for  to  doon  his  observaunce  to  May,  1500 
Remembrynge  on  the  poynt  of  his  desir, 

He  on  a  courser,  startlynge  as  the  fir,2 
Is  riden  in  to  the  feeldes  hym  to  pleye, 

Out  of  the  court  were  it  a  myle  or  tweye  ; 

And  to  the  grove  of  which  that  I  yow  tolde, 

By  aventure,  his  wey  he  gan  to  holde, 

To  maken  hym  a  gerland  of  the  greves, 

Were  it  of  wodebynde,  or  hawethorn  leves, 

And  loude  he  song  ageyn  3  the  sonne  shene  : 

“  May,  with  alle  thyfloures  and  thygrene,  1510 
Wei  come  be  thou,  faire,  fresshe  May, 

In  hope  that  I  som  grene  gete  may.” 

And  from  his  courser  with  a  lusty  herte 
In  to  a  grove  ful  hastily  he  sterte, 

And  in  a  path  he  rometh  up  and  doun, 

Ther  as  by  aventure  this  Palamoun 

Was  in  a  bussh,  that  no  man  myghte  hym  se, 

For  soore  afered  of  his  deeth  was  he.4 

No  thyng  ne  knew  he  that  it  was  Arcite, — 

God  woot  he  wolde  have  trowed  it  ful  lite;  1520 

1  Groves.  2  Fire.  3  Towards.  4  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  thanne 
was  he.” 


59 


“THE  wode  hath  eres.” 

But  sooth  is  seyd,  gonsithen  many  yeres, 

That  feeld  hath  eyen,  and  the  wode  hath  eres ; 
It  is  ful  fair  a  man  to  here  hym  evene, 

For  al  day  meeteth  men  at  unset  stevene.1 
Ful  litel  woot  Arcite  of  his  felawe 
That  was  so  ny  to  herknen  al  his  sawe, 

For  in  the  bussh  he  sitteth  now  ful  stille. 

Whan  that  Arcite  hadde  romed  al  his  fille, 

And  songen  al  the  roundel  lustily, 

In  to  a  studie  he  fil  al  sodeynly,  IS3° 

As  doon  thise  loveres  in  hir  queynte  geres,  — 
Now  in  the  crope,2  now  doun  in  the  breres, 
Now  up,  now  doun,  as  boket  in  a  welle. 

Right  as  the  Friday,  soothly  for  to  telle, 

Now  it  shyneth,  and8  now  it  reyneth  faste, 
Right  so  kan  geery4  Venus  over-caste 
The  hertes  of  hir  folk  •  right  as  hir  day  5 
Is  gereful,  right  so  chaungeth  she  array,  — • 
Selde  is  the  Friday  al  the  wowke  ylike. 

Whan  that  Arcite  had  songe,  he  gan  to 
sike,6  1540 

And  sette  hym  doun  with  outen  any  moore  : 

“  Allas,”  quod  he,  “that  day  that  I  was  bore  ! 
How  longe,  Juno,  thurgh  thy  crueltee, 

Woltow  werreyen  Thebes  the  citee  ? 

Allas,  ybroght  is  to  confusioun  (1547  t.) 

The  blood  roial  of  Cadme  and  Amphioun,  — 
Of  Cadmus,  which  that  was  the  firste  man 

1  Time.  2  Top.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Fickle.  6  Friday.  Cf. 
1.  8958.  6  Sigh. 


6o 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


That  Thebes  bulte  or  first  the  toun  bigan, 

And  of  the  citee  first  was  crouned  kyng. 

Of  his  lynage  am  I,  and  his  of-spryng  I55° 
By  verray  ligne,  as  of  the  stole  roial  ; 

And  now  I  am  so  caytyf  and  so  thral, 

That  he  that  is  my  mortal  enemy, 

I  serve  hym  as  his  squier  povrely. 

And  yet  dooth  Juno  me  wel  moore  shame, 

For  I  dar  noght  biknowe  myn  owene  name, 

But  ther  as  I  was  wont  to  highte  Arcite, 

Now  highte  I  Philostrate,  noght  worth  a  myte. 
Allas,  thou  felle  Mars  !  alias,  Juno  ! 

Thus  hath  youre  ire  oure  kynrede  al  fordo,  1560 
Save  oonly  me,  and  wrecched  Palamoun, 

That  Theseus  martireth  in  prisoun. 

And  over  al  this,  to  sleen  me  outrely, 

Love  hath  his  firy  dart  so  brennyngly 
Ystiked  thurgh  my  trewe,  careful  herte, 

That  shapen  was  my  deeth  erst  than  my 
sherte. 

Ye  sleen  me  with  youre  eyen,  Emelye  ; 

Ye  been  the  cause  wherfore  that  I  dye. 

Of  al  the  remenant  of  myn  oother  care 
Ne  sette  I  nat  the  montance  of  a  tare,  1570 

So  that  I  koude  doon  aught  to  youre  ples- 
aunce.” 

And  with  that  word  he  fil  doun  in  a  traunce 
A  longe  tyme,  and  after  he  up  sterte. 

This  Palamoun,  that  thoughte  that  thurgh 
his  herte 


PALAMON  STARTS  UP. 


61 


He  felte  a  coold  swerd  sodeynliche  glyde, 

For  ire  he  quook,  no  lenger  wolde  he  byde. 
And  whan  that  he  had  herd  Arcites  tale, 

As  he  were  wood,  with  face  deed  and  pale, 

He  stirte  hym  up  out  of  the  buskes  thikke, 
And  seide,  “  Arcite,  false  traytour  wikke  !  1580 
Now  artow  hent,1  that  lovest  my  lady  so, 

For  whom  that  I  have  al  this  peyne  and  wo, 
And  art  my  blood  and  to  my  conseil  sworn, 

As  I  ful  ofte  have  seyd  thee  heer  biforn, 

And  hast  byjaped  2  heere  due  Theseus, 

And  falsly  chaunged  hast  thy  name  thus  ; 

I  wol  be  deed,  or  elles  thou  shalt  dye  ; 

Thou  shalt  nat  love  my  lady  Emelye, 

But  I  wol  love  hire  oonly,  and  namo,3 
For  I  am  Palamon,  thy  mortal  foo,  1590 

And  though  that  I  no  wepene  have  in  this 
place, 

But  out  of  prison  am  astert 4  by  grace, 

I  drede  noght,  that  outher  thow  shalt  dye, 

Or  thow  ne  shalt  nat  loven  Emelye. 

Chees  which  thou  wolt  or  thou  shalt  nat  as- 
terte  1  ” 

This  Arcite,  with  ful  despitous  herte, 

Whan  he  hym  knew,  and  hadde  his  tale  herd, 
As  fiers  as  leoun  pulled  out  his  swerd,  (1600  t.) 
And  seyde  thus,  “  By  God  that  sit  above, 

Nere  5  it  that  thou  art  sik  and  wood  for  love,  1600 
And  eek  that  thow  no  wepne  hast  in  this  place, 

1  Caught.  2  Tricked.  3  No  other.  4  Escaped.  6  Ne  were. 


62 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Thou  sholdest  nevere  out  of  this  grove  pace, 
That  thou  ne  sholdest  dyen  of  myn  hond, 

For  I  defye  the  seurete  and  the  bond 
Which  that  thou  seist  that  I  have  maad  to 
thee. 

What,  verray  fool,  thynk  wel  that  love  is  fre  ! 
And  I  wol  love  hire  mawgree 1  al  thy  myght. 
But  for  as  muche  thou  art  a  worthy  knyght, 
And  wilnest  to  darreyne  2  hire  by  bataille, 

Have  heer  my  trouthe,  tomorwe  I  wol  nat 
fade, 

With-oute  wityng  3  of  any  oother  wight,  1611 
That  heere  I  wol  be  founden  as  a  knyght 
And  bryngen  harneys  right  ynough  for  thee 
And  chese  the  beste  and  leve  the  worste  for 
me ; 

And  mete  and  drynke  this  nyght  wol  I  brynge 
Ynough  for  thee,  and  clothes  for  thy  bed- 
dynge  ; 

And  if  so  be  that  thou  my  lady  Wynne 
And  sle  me  in  this  wode  that  I  am  inne, 

Thou  mayst  wel  have  thy  lady  as  for  me.” 

This  Palamon  answerde,  “  I  graunte  it  thee. 
And  thus  they  been  departed  4  til  amorwe,  1621 
Whan  ech  of  hem  had  leyd  his  feith  to  borwe.5 

O  Cupide,  out  of  alle  charitee  ! 

O  regne,6  that  wolt  no  felawe  have  with  thee  ! 


1  Iti  spite  of.  2  Contest. 
5  Pledge.  6  Ruler. 


3  Knowledge. 


4  Separated. 


“the  bataille  in  the  feeld.”  63 

Ful  sooth  is  seyd  that  love  ne  lordshipe 
Wol  noght,  hir  thankes,1  have  no  felaweshipe. 
Wei  fynden  that  Arcite  and  Palamoun. 

Arcite  is  riden  anon  un-to  the  toun, 

And  on  the  morwe,  er  it  were  dayes  light, 

Ful  prively  two  harneys  hath  he  dight,2  1630 
Bothe  suffisaunt  and  mete  to  darreyne 
The  bataille  in  the  feeld  bitwix  hem  tweyne ; 
And  on  his  hors,  allone  as  he  was  born, 

Fie  carieth  al  the  harneys  hym  biforn, 

And  in  the  grove,  at  tyme  and  place  yset, 

This  Arcite  and  this  Palamon  ben  met. 

To  chaungen  gan  the  colour  in  hir  face, 

Right  as  the  hunters  in  the  regne  3  of  Trace, 
That  stondeth  at  the  gappe  with  a  spere, 

Whan  hunted  is  the  leoun  and  the  bere,  1640 
And  hereth  hym  come  russhyng  in  the  greves4 
And  breketh  bothe  bowes  and  the  leves, 

And  thynke'th,  “  Heere  cometh  my  mortal  en¬ 
emy, 

With-oute  faiile  he  moot  be  deed  or  I  ; 

For  outher  I  moot  sleen  hym  at  the  gappe, 

Or  he  moot  sleen  me  if  that  me  myshappe  :  ” 
So  ferden  5  they  in  chaungyng  of  hir  hewe, 

As  fer  as  everich  of  hem  oother  knewe.  (1650  t.) 

Ther  nas  no  “  Good  day,”  ne  no  saluyng, 
But  streight  with-outen  word  or  rehersyng  1650 

1  Willingly.  Cf.  1.  10,314.  2  Furnished.  3  Kingdom. 

1  Groves.  6  Acted. 


64  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

Everich  of  hem  heelpe  for  to  armen  oother, 

As  frendly  as  he  were  his  owene  brother ; 

And  after  that,  with  sharpe  speres  stronge, 
They  foynen  1  ech  at  oother  wonder  longe. 
Thou  myghtest  wene  that  this  Palamoun, 

In  his  figbtyng  were  as  a  wood  leoun, 

And  as  a  crueel  tigre  was  Arcite  : 

As  wilde  bores  gonne  2  they  to  smyte, 

That  frothen  whit  as  foom  for  ire  wood,3  — 

Up  to  the  anclee  foghte  they  in  hir  blood.  1660 
And  in  this  wise  I  lete  hem  fightyng  dwelle, 
And  forth  I  wole  of  Theseus  yow  telle. 

The  Destinee,  ministre  general, 

That  executeth  in  the  world  over  al, 

The  purveiaunce  that  God  hath  seyn  biforn  ; 

So  strong  it  is  that  though  the  world  had  sworn 
The  contrarie  of  a  thyng  by  ye  or  nay, 

Yet  somtyme  it.shal  fallen  on  a  day 
That  falleth  nat  eft  4  with-inne  a  thousand 
yeere. 

For  certeinly  oure  appetites  heere,  1670 

Be  it  of  werre,  or  pees,  or  hate,  or  love, 

Al  is  this  reuled  by  the  sighte  above. 

This  mene  I  now  by  myghty  Theseus, 

That  for  to  hunten  is  so  desirus, 

And  namely  5  at  the  grete  hert  in  May, 

That  in  his  bed  ther  daweth  hym  no  day 
That  he  nys  clad,  and  redy  for  to  ryde 

1  Foin.  2  Began.  3  Mad.  4  Again.  B  Especially. 


HUNTING  THE  HART.  65 

With  hunte  and  home,  and  houndes  hym  bi- 
syde. 

For  in  his  huntyng  hath  he  swich  delit, 

That  it  is  al  his  joye  and  appetit  1680 

To  been  hym-self  the  grete  hertes  bane, 

For  after  Mars  he  serveth  now  Dyane. 

Cleer  was  the  day,  as  I  have  toold  er  this, 
And  Theseus,  with  alle  joye  and  blis, 

With  his  Ypolita,  the  faire  queene, 

And  Emelye,  clothed  al  in  grene, 

On  huntyng  be  they  riden  roially  ; 

And  to  the  grove  that  stood  ful  faste  by, 

In  which  ther  was  an  hert,  as  men  hym  tolde, 
Due  Theseus  the  streighte  wey  hath  holde  1690 
And  to  the  launde  1  he  rideth  hym  ful  right,  — 
For  thider  was  the  hert  wont  have  his  flight,  — 
And  over  a  brook,  and  so  forth  in  his  weye. 
This  due  wol  han  a  cours  at  hym,  or  tweye, 
With  houndes,  swiche  as  hym  list  commaunde. 
And  whan  this  due  was  come  un-to  the 
launde 

Under  the  sonne  he  looketh,  and  anon, 

He  was  war  of  Arcite  and  Palamon,  (1700  t.) 
That  foughten  breme,2  as  it  were  bores  two. 
The  brighte  swerdes  wenten  to  and  fro  1700 
So  hidously,  that  with  the  leeste  strook 
It  semed  as  it  wolde  fille  an  00k ; 

But  what  they  were  no  thyng  he  ne  woot. 

This  due  his  courser  with  his  spores  smoot, 

1  Champaign,  hunting-ground.  2  Fiercely. 

VOL.  I.  5 


66 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


And  at  a  stert  he  was  bitwix  hem  two, 

And  pulled  out  a  swerd,  and  cride,  “  Hoo  ! 
Namoore,  up-on  peyne  of  lesynge  1  of  youre 
heed. 

By  myghty  Mars,  he  shal  anon  be  deed 
That  smyteth  any  strook,  that  I  may  seen  ! 

But  telleth  me  what  mystiers  2  men  ye  been, 
That  been  so  hardy  for  to  tighten  heere  17  n 
With-outen  juge,  or  oother  officere, 

As  it  were  in  a  lystes  roially  ?  ” 

This  Palamon  answerde  hastily 
And  seyde,  “  Sire,  what  nedeth  wordes  mo  ? 
We  have  the  deeth  disserved  bothe  two. 

Two  woful  wrecches  been  we,  two  caytyves,3 
That  been  encombred  of  oure  owene  lyves, 
And  as  thou  art  a  rightful  lord  and  juge 
Ne  geve  us  neither  mercy  ne  refuge,  1720 
But  sle  me  first,  for  seinte  4  charitee, 

But  sle  my  felawe  eek  as  wel  as  me ; 

Or  sle  hym  first,  for  though  thow  knowest  it 
lite,5 

This  is  thy  mortal  foo,  this  is  Arcite, 

That  fro  thy  lond  is  banysshed  on  his  heed, 
For  which  he  hath  deserved  to  be  deed  ; 

For  this  is  he  that  cam  un-to  thy  gate 
And  seyde  that  he  highte  Philostrate  ; 

Thus  hath  he  japed  6  thee  ful  many  a  yer, 

And  thou  hast  maked  hym  thy  chief  squier ; 
And  this  is  he  that  loveth  Ernelye  ;  1731 

1  Losing.  2  Sort  of.  3  Captives.  4  Holy.  6  Little.  6  Tricked 


THE  LADIES  INTERCEDE.  67 

For  sith  the  clay  is  come  that  I  shal  clye, 

I  make  pleynly  my  confessioun 
That  I  am  thilke  woful  Palamoun, 

That  hath  thy  prisoun  broken  wikkedly. 

I  am  thy  mortal  foo,  and  it  am  I 
That  loveth  so  hoote  Enielye  the  brighte 
That  I  wol  dye  present  in  hir  sighte. 

Therfore  I  axe  deeth  and  my  juwise  ; 1 

But  sle  my  felawe  in  the  same  wise,  1740 

For  bothe  han  we  deserved  to  be  slayti.” 

This  worthy  due  answerde  anon  agayn, 

And  seyde,  “  This  is  a  short  conclusioun  : 
Youre  owene  mouth,  by  youre  confessioun, 
Hath  dampned  yow,  and  I  wol  it  recorde, 

It  nedeth  noght  to  pyne  2  yow  with  the  corde, 
Ye  shal  be  deed  by  myghty  Mars  the  rede  !  ” 
The  queene  anon,  for  verray  wommanhede, 
Gan  for  to  wepe,  and  so  elide  Emelye,  (1751  t.) 
And  alle  the  laclyes  in  the  compaignye.  1750 
Greet  pitee  was  it,  as  it  thoughte  hem  alle, 

That  evere  swich  a  chaunce  sholde  f alle. 

For  gentil  men  they  were,  of  greet  estaat, 

And  no  thyng  but  for  love  was  this  debaat,  — 
And  saugh  hir  blody  woundes  wyde  and  soore 
And  alle  crieden,  bothe  lasse  and  moore, 

“  Have  mercy,  lord,  up-on  us  wommen  alle  !  ” 
And  on  hir  bare  knees  adoun  they  falle, 

And  wolde  have  kist  his  feet  ther  as  he  stood, 
Til  at  the  laste  aslaked  was  his  mood,  1760 


1  Doom. 


2  Torture. 


68 


THE  KNIGHTS  TALE. 


For  pitee  renneth  soone  in  gentil  herte,1 
And  though  he  first  for  ire  quook 2  and  sterte, 
He  hath  considered  shortly  in  a  clause 
The  trespas  of  hem  bothe,  and  eek  the  cause, 
And  al  though  that  his  ire  hir  gilt  accused, 

Yet  in  his  resoun  he  hem  bothe  excused, 

And  thus  he  thoghte  wel  that  every  man 
Wol  helpe  hym-self  in  love,  if  that  he  kan, 

And  eek  delivere  hym-self  out  of  prisoun  ; 

And  eek  his  herte  hadde  compassioun  1770 
Of  wommen,  for  they  wepen  evere  in  oon  ; 

And  in  his  gentil  herte  he  thoughte  anon, 

And  softe  un-to  hym-self  he  seyde,  “  Fy 
Up  on  a  lord  that  wol  have  no  mercy, 

But  been  a  leoun  bothe  in  word  and  dede 
To  hem  that  been  in  repentaunce  and  drede, 
As  wel  as  to  a  proud  despitous  man 
That  wol  maynteyne  that  he  first  bigan  ; 

That  lord  hath  litel  of  discrecioun, 

That  in  swich  cas  kan  3  no  divisioun,  1780 
But  weyeth  pride  and  humblesse  after  oon.” 
And  shortly,  whan  his  ire  is  thus  agoon, 

He  gan  to  looken  up  with  eyen  lighte, 

And  spak  thise  same  wordes,  al  on  highte.4 

“  The  god  of  love,  a  benedicite, 

How  myghty  and  how  greet  a  lord  is  he  ! 
Ageyns  his  myght  ther  gayneth  none  obsta¬ 
cles, 

He  may  be  cleped  a  god  for  hise  myracles, 


1  Cf.  1.  14,322.  2  Quaked.  3  Knows.  4  In  a  loud  voice. 


THE  JUDGMENT  OF  THESEUS.  69 

For  he  lean  maken,  at  his  owene  gyse, 

Of  everich  herte  as  that  hym  list  divyse.  1790 
“  Lo  heere  this  Arcite,  and  this  Palamoun, 
That  quitly 1  weren  out  of  my  prisoun, 

And  myghte  han  lyved  in  Thebes  roially, 

And  witen  I  am  hir  mortal  enemy, 

And  that  hir  deth  lith  2  in  my  myght  also, 

And  yet  hath  love,  maugree  hir  eyen  two, 
Y-broght  hem  hyder,  bothe  for  to  dye. 

Now  looketh,  isnat  that  an  heigh  folye?  (1800T.) 

“  Who  may  nat  been  a  foie,  but  if  he  love  ? 
Bihoold,  for  Goddes  sake  that  sit  above,  1800 
Se  how  they  blede  !  be  they  noght  wel  arrayed  ? 
Thus  hath  hir  lord,  the  god  of  love,  ypayed 
Hir  wages  and  hir  fees  for  hir  servyse  : 

And  yet  they  wenen  for  to  been  ful  wyse 
That  serven  love,  for  aught  that  may  bifalle. 
But  this  is  yet  the  beste  game  3  of  alle, 

That  she,  for  whom  they  han  this  jolitee, 

Kan  hem  ther  fore  as  muche  thank  as  me. 

She  woot  namoore  of  al  this  hoote  fare, 

By  God,  than  woot  a  cokkow  of  an  hare.  1810 
But  all  moot  ben  assayed,  hoot  and  coold  ; 

A  man  moot  ben  a  fool,  or  yong  or  oold,  — 

I  woot  it  by  my-self  ful  yore  agon, 

For  in  my  tyme  a  servant  was  I  oon. 

And  therfore,  syn  I  knowe  of  loves  peyne, 

And  woot  hou  soore  it  kan  a  man  distreyne, 

As  he  that  hath  ben  caught  ofte  in  his  laas,4 


1  Freely.  2  Their  death  lieth.  3  Sport.  4  Snare. 


7  o 


THE  KNIGHTS  TALE. 


I  yow  forgeve  al  hoolly  this  trespaas, 

At  requeste  of  the  queene,  that  kneleth  heere, 
And  eek  of  Emelye,  my  suster  deere.  1820 
And  ye  shul  bothe  anon  un-to  me  swere, 

That  nevere  mo  ye  shal  my  contree  dere,1 
Ne  make  werre  up-on  me,  nyght  ne  day, 

But  been  my  freendes  in  al  that  ye  may. 

I  yow  forgeve  this  trespas  every  deel.” 

And  they  him  sworen  his  axyng,  faire  and 
weel, 

And  hym  of  lordshipe  and  of  mercy  preyde, 
And  he  hem  graunteth  grace,  and  thus  he 
seyde  :  — 

“  To  speke  of  roial  lynage  and  richesse, 
Though  that  she  were  a  queene  or  a  prin- 
cesse,  1830 

Ech  of  you  bothe  is  worthy,  doutelees, 

To  wedden  whan  tyme  is,  but  natheless,2  — 

I  speke  as  for  my  suster  Emelye, 

For  whom  ye  have  this  strif  and  jalousye,  — 
Ye  woot  your  self  she  may  nat  wedden  two 
Atones,  though  ye  tighten  everemo, 

That  oon  of  you,  al  be  hym  looth  or  lief, 

He  moote  ‘  pipen  in  an  yvy  leef :  ’ 3 

This  is  to  seyn,  she  may  nat  now  han  bothe, 

Al  be  ye  never  so  jalouse  ne  so  wrothe  ;  1840 

And  for-thy,4  I  yow  putte  in  this  degree, 

That  ech  of  yow  shal  have  his  destynee 

1  Hurt.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “doutelees.”  3  This  is  equivalent  to 
saying  “  go  whistle.”  Cf.  1.  3387.  1  Therefore. 


THE  JUDGMENT  OF  THESEUS.  7 1 

As  hym  is  shape,  and  herkneth  in  what  wyse  ; 
Lo  heere  your  ende  of  that  I  shal  devyse  :  — 

“  My  wyl  is  this,  for  plat 1  conclusioun 
With-outen  any  repplicacioun,  — 

If  that  you  liketh,  take  it  for  the  beste,  — 

That  everich  of  you  shal  goon  where  hym 
leste  (1850  t.) 

Frely  with-outen  raunson  or  daunger  ; 

And  this  day  fifty  wykes,  —  fer  ne  ner,2  —  1850 
Everich  of  you  shal  brynge  an  hundred  knyghtes 
Armed  for  lystes  up  at  alle  rightes, 

A1  redy  to  darreyne  3  hire  by  bataille  ; 

And  this  bihote  4  I  yow  with-outen  faille 
Up-on  my  trouthe  and  as  I  am  a  knyght, 

That  wheither  of  yow  bothe  that  hath  myght, 
This  is  to  seyn,  that  wheither  he  or  thow 
May  with  his  hundred,  as  I  spak  of  now, 

Sleen  his  contrarie,  or  out  of  lystes  clryve, 
Thanne  shal  I  geve  Emelya  to  wyve  i860 
To  whom  that  Fortune  geveth  so  fair  a  grace. 
Tho  lystes  shal  I  maken  in  this  place, 

And  God  so  wisly  on  my  soule  rewe  5 
As  I  shal  evene  juge  been,  and  trewe. 

Ye  shul  noon  oother  ende  with  me  maken 
That  oon  of  yow  ne  shal  be  deed  or  taken ; 
And  if  yow  thynketh  this  is  weel  ysayd, 

Seyeth  youre  avys  and  holdeth  you  apayd.6 
This  is  youre  ende  and  youre  conclusioun.” 

1  Flat.  2  A  year  hence,  —  no  more,  no  less.  3  Contend 
for.  4  Promise.  6  Pity.  0  Satisfied. 


72 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Who  looketh  lightly  now  but  Palamoun  ?  1870 
Who  spryngeth  up  for  joye  but  Arcite  ? 

Who  kouthe  telle,  or  who  kouthe  endite, 

The  joye  that  is  maked  in  the  place 
Whan  Theseus  hath  doon  so  fair  a  grace  ? 

But  doun  on  knees  wente  every  maner  wight 
And  thonken  hym  with  al  hir  herte  and  myght ; 
And  namely  1  the  Thebans  often  sithe.2 
And  thus  with  good  hope  and  with  herte  blithe 
They  taken  hir  leve,  and  homward  goone  they 
ride 

To  Thebes  with  hise  olde  walles  wyde.  1880 

THIRD  PART. 

I  trowe  men  wolde  deme  it  necligence 
If  I  forgete  to  tellen  the  dispence 
Of  Theseus,  that  gooth  so  bisily 
To  maken  up  the  lystes  roially, 

That  swich  a  noble  theatre  as  it  was 
I  dar  wel  seyn  in  this  world  there  nas. 

The  circuit  a  myle  was  aboute, 

Walled  of  stoon  and  dyched  al  with  oute. 
Round  was  the  shape  in  manere  of  compaas, 
Ful  of  degrees,3  the  heighte  of  sixty  pas,  1890 
That  whan  a  man  was  set  on  o  degree, 

He  lette  4  nat  his  felawe  for  to  see. 

Estward  ther  stood  a  gate  of  marbul  whit, 
Westward  right  swich  another  in  the  opposit. 
And,  shortly  to  concluden,  swich  a  place 

1  Especially.  2  Times.  3  Steps.  4  Hindered. 


THE  THEATRE  FOR  THE  ORDEAL.  73 

Was  noon  in  erthe,  as  in  so  litel  space ; 

For  in  the  lond  ther  was  no  crafty  man 
That  geometrie  or  ars  mctrik  1  kan,  (1900  t.) 
Ne  portreitour,  ne  kervere  of  ymages, 

That  Theseus  ne  gaf  hem  2  mete  and  wages, 
The  theatre  for  to  maken  and  devyse.  1901 
And,  for  to  doon  his  ryte  and  sacrifise, 

He  estward  hath  up-on  the  gate  above, 

In  worshipe  of  Venus,  goddesse  of  love, 

Doon  make  an  auter  and  an  oratorie  ; 

And  on  the  westward  side,2  in  memorie 
Of  Mars,  he  maked  hath  right  swich  another, 
That  coste  largely  of  gold  a  fother.3 
And  northward,  in  a  touret  on  the  wal, 

Of  alabastre  whit  and  reed  coral,  1910 

An  oratorie  riche  for  to  see, 

In  worshipe  of  Dyane  of  chastitee 
Hath  Theseus  doon  wroght  in  noble  wyse. 

But  yet  hadde  I  forgeten  to  devyse 
The  noble  kervyng  and  the  portreitures,4 
The  shape,  the  contenaunce,5  and  the  figures 
That  weren  in  thise  oratories  thre. 

First,  in  the  temple  of  Venus  maystow  se, 
Wroght  on  the  wal,  ful  pitous  to  biholde, 

The  broken  slepes,  and  the  sikes6  colde,  1920 
The  sacred 7  teeris,  and  the  waymentynge,8 
The  firy  strokes,  and  the  desirynge, 

That  loves  servauntz  in  this  lyf  enduren  ; 

1  Arithmetic  (ars  metrica).  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Load. 
4  Designs.  5  Appearance.  0  Sighs.  7  Camb.  MS.  has  “  secret.” 
8  Wailing. 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


74 

The  othes  that  her  covenantz  assuren. 
Plesaunce  and  Hope,  Desir,  Foolhardynesse, 
Beautee  and  Youthe,  Bauderie,  Richesse, 
Charmes  and  Force,  Lesynges,  Flaterye, 
Despense,  Bisynesse  and  Jalousye 
That  wered  of  yelewe  gooldes  1  a  gerland 
And  a  cokkow2  sitynge  on  hir  hand  ;  1930 

Festes,  instrumentz,  caroles,  daunces, 

Lust  and  array,  and  alle  the  circumstaunces 
Of  love,  whiche  that  I  rekned  have,  and  rekne 
shal, 

By  ordre  weren  peynted  on  the  wal, 

And  mo  than  I  kan  make  of  mencioun ; 

For  soothly  al  the  mount  of  Citheroun, 

Ther  Venus  hath  hir  principal  dwellynge, 

Was  shewed  on  the  wal  in  portreyynge, 

With  al  the  gardyn  and  the  lustynesse. 

Nat  was  forgeten  the  porter  Ydelnesse,  1940 
Ne  Narcisus  the  faire  of  yore  agon, 

Ne3  yet  the  folye  of  kyng  Salamon, 

And  eek  the  grete  strengthe  of  Ercules, 
Thenchauntementz  of  Medea  and  Circes, 

Ne  of  Turnus  with  the  hardy  fiers  corage, 

The  riche  Cresus,  kaytyf  in  servage.  (1948  t.) 

Thus  may  ye  seen  that  Wysdom  ne  Richesse, 
Beautee  ne  Sleighte,  Strengthe,  Hardynesse, 
Ne  may  with  Venus  holde  champartie,4  1949 
For  as  hir  list  the  world  than  may  she  gye.5 


1  Turn  sols.  2  Emblem  of  marital  faithlessness.  3  Elies.  MS.  has 
and.”  4  Partnership  in  power.  6  Guide. 


THE  TEMPLES  OF  VENUS  AND  MARS.  75 

Lo  alle  thise  folk  so  caught  were  in  hir  las  1 
Til  they  for  wo  ful  ofte  seyde,  “  Allas  !  ” 
Suffiseth  heere  ensamples  oon  or  two, 

And  though  I  koude  rekone  a  thousand  mo. 

The  statue  of  Venus,  glorious  for  to  se, 

Was  naked,  fletynge  2  in  the  large  see, 

And  fro  the  navele  doun  al  covered  was 
With  wawes  grene,  and  brighte  as  any  glas. 

A  citole  3  in  hir  right  hand  hadde  she, 

And  on  hir  heed,  ful  semely  for  to  se,  i960 
A  rose  gerland,  fressh  and  wel  smellynge, 
Above  hir  heed  hir  dowves  flikerynge. 

Biforn  hire  stood  hir  sone  Cupido, 

Up-on  his  shuldres  wynges  hadde  he  two, 

And  blind  he  was,  as  it  is  often  seene  ; 

A  bowe  he  bar  and  arwes  brighte  and  kene. 

Why  sholde  I  noght  as  wel  eek  telle  yow  al 
The  portreiture  that  was  up-on  the  wal 
With-inne  the  temple  of  myghty  Mars  the  rede  ? 
Al  peynted  was  the  wal,  in  lengthe  and  brede, 
Lyk  to  the  estres4  of  the  grisly  place  1971 
That  highte  the  grete  temple  of  Mars  in  Trace, 
In  thilke  colde,  frosty  regioun 
Ther  as  Mars  hath  his  sovereyn  mansioun. 

First,  on  the  wal  was  peynted  a  forest 
In  which  ther  dwelleth  neither  man  nor  best, 
With  knotty,  knarry,  bareyne  trees  olde 
Of  stubbes  sharpe  and  hidouse  to  biholde, 

1  Snare.  2  Floating.  3  A  stringed  instrument.  4  Interior, 
passages. 


76  the  knight’s  tale. 

In  which  ther  ran  a  rumbel  and  a  swough,1 
As  though  a  storm  sholde  bresten 2  every 
bough  •  1980 

And  dounward  from  an  hille,  under  a  bente,3 
Ther  stood  the  temple  of  Mars  armypotente, 
Wroght  al  of  burned 4  steel,  of  which  the  entree 
Was  long  and  streit  and  gastly  for  to  see  ; 

And  ther  out  came  a  rage,  and  such  a  veze  6  * 
That  it  made  all  the  gate  for  to  rese.6 
The  Northren  I-yght  in  at  the  dores  shoon,  — 
For  wyndowe  on  the  wal  ne  was  ther  noon 
Thurgh  which  men  myghten  any  light  dis- 
cerne,  — 

The  dore  was  al  of  adamant  eterne,  1990 

Yclenched  overthwart  and  endelong 

With  iren  tough,  and  for  to  make  it  strong, 

Every  pyler  the  temple  to  sustene 

Was  tonne  greet,7  of  iren  bright  and  shene. 

Ther  saugh  I  first  the  derke  ymaginyng 
Of  felonye,  and  the  compassyng  ; 

The  crueel  ire,  reed  as  any  gleede  ; 8 
The  pykepurs,9  and  eke  the  pale  drede  ;  (2000  T.) 
The  smylere,  with  the  knyfe  under  the  cloke ; 
The  shepne,10  brennynge  with  the  blake  smoke  ; 
The  tresoun  of  the  mordrynge  in  the  bedde  ; 11 
The  open  werre,  with  woundes  al  bi-bledde  ; 
Contek 12  with  blody  knyf,  and  sharpe  manace : 
Al  ful  of  chirkyng13  was  that  sory  place.  2004 

1  A  rumble  and  a  general,  confused  noise.  2  Burst.  3  Declivity. 
4  Burnished.  5  Rush  of  wind.  0  Quake.  7  Of  the  size  of  a  tun. 
8  Live  coal.  0  Pickpocket.  10  Sheep  pens.  11  This  refers  to  the 
Dana'ides.  32  Contest.  33  Shrieking. 


THE  TEMPLES  OF  VENUS  AND  MARS.  77 

The  sleere  of  hym  self  yet  saugh  I  ther, 

His  herte  blood  hath  bathed  al  his  heer, 

The  nayl  ydryven  in  the  shode  1  a-nyght ; 2 
The  colde  deeth,  with  mouth  gapyng  up  right ; 3 
Amyddes  of  the  temple  sat  Meschaunce, 

With  disconfort  and  sory  contenaunce.  2010 
Yet  saugh  I  Woodnesse,4  laughynge  in  his 
rage, 

Armed  compleint,  out-hees,5  and  fiers  outrage, 
The  careyne,6  in  the  busk,7  with  throte  ycorve, 
A  thousand  slayn  and  not  of  qualm  ystorve  ;8 
The  tiraunt  with  the  pray  by  force  yraft ; 

The  toun  destroyed,  ther  was  no  thyng  laft. 

Yet  saugh  I  brent  the  shippes  hoppesteres  ;9 
The  hunte  10  strangled  with  the  wilde  beres  ; 
The  sowe  freten 11  the  child  right  in  the  cradel  ; 
The  cook  yscalded  for  al  his  longe  ladel.  2020 
Noght  was  forgeten  by  the  infortune  of 
Marte, 

The  cartere  over-ryden  with  his  carte  ; 

Under  the  wheel  ful  lowe  he  lay  adoun. 

Ther  were  also  of  Martes  divisioun, 

The  barbour  and  the  bocher,  and  the  smyth 
That  forgeth  sharpe  swerdes  on  his  styth  ; 

And  al  above,  depeynted  in  a  tour, 

Saugh  I  Conquest 12  sittynge  in  greet  honour 
With  the  sharpe  swerd  over  his  heed 
Hangynge  by  a  soutil  twynes  threed.  2030 

1  Parting  of  the  hair.  2  Sisera.  3  Cf.  1.  8654.  4  Anger.  5  Out¬ 
cries.  0  Corpse.  7  Bush.  8  Dead  of  disease.  0  Dancing  ships,  or 
opposing  ships.  10  Hunter.  11  Devoured.  12  Damocles  (?). 


78 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Depeynted  was  the  slaughtre  of  Julius, 

Of  grete  Nero,  and  of  Antonius,  — 

A1  be  that  thilke  tyme  they  were  unborn, 

Yet  was  hir  deth  depeynted  ther  biforn 
By  manasynge  1  of  Mars,  right  by  figure,2 
So  was  it  shewed  in  that  portreiture 
As  is  depeynted  in  the  sterres  3  above 
Who  shal  be  slayn  or  elles  deed  for  love  ; 
Suffiseth  oon  ensample  in  stories  olde, 

I  may  nat  rekene  hem  alle  though  I  wolde.  2040 

The  statue  of  Mars  up-on  a  carte  stood, 
Armed,  and  looked  grym  as  he  were  wood,4 
And  over  his  heed  ther  shynen  two  figures 
Of  sterres  that  been  cleped  in  scriptures, 

That  oon  Puella,  that  oother  Rubeus.5 
This  god  of  armes  was  arrayed  thus  : 

A  wolf  ther  stood  biforn  hym  at  his  feet 
With  eyen  rede,  and  of  a  man  he  eet.  (2050  t.) 
With  soutil  pencel  was  depeynted  this  storie 
In  redoutynge6  of  Mars  and  of  his  glorie.  2050 

Now  to  the  temple  of  Dyane  the  chaste, 

As  shortly  as  I  kan,  I  wol  me  haste 
To  telle  yow  al  the  descripsioun. 

Depeynted  been  the  walles  up  and  doun 
Of  huntyng  and  of  shamefast  chastitee. 

Ther  saugh  I  how  woful  Calistopee,7 
Whan  that  Diane  agreved  was  with  here, 

Was  turned  from  a  womman  to  a  bere, 

1  Menacing.  2  Prefiguration.  3  The  “Six  Texts”  have  “Ser- 
tres”  or  “Certres.”  4  Mad.  5  Puella  signified  Mars  “retrograde 
Rubeus,  Mars  “direct.”  0  Awe.  7  CalJisto. 


THE  TEMPLE  OF  DIANA. 


79 


And  after  was  she  maad  the  loode-sterre ; 1 
Thus  was  it  peynted,  I  kan  sey  2  no  ferre.3  2060 
Hir  sone  4  is  eek  a  sterre  5  as  men  may  see. 
Ther  saugh  I  Dane,6  yturned  til  a  tree,  — 

I  mene  nat  the  goddesse  Diane, 

But  Penneus  doughter  which  that  highte  Dane. 
Ther  saugh  I  Attheon  7  an  hert  ymaked, 

For  vengeance  that  he  saugh  Diane  al  naked  ; 

I  saugh  how  that  hise  houndes  have  hym  caught 
And  freeten  8  hym  for  that  they  knewe  hym 
naught. 

Yet  peynted  was  a  litel  forther  moor 
How  Atthalante  hunted  the  wilde  boor,  2070 
And  Meleagre,  and  many  another  mo, 

For  which  Dyane  wroghte  hym  care  and  wo. 
Ther  saugh  I  many  another  wonder  storie 
The  whiche  me  list  nat  drawen  to  memorie. 

This  goddesse  on  an  hert  ful  wel  hye  seet, 
With  smale  houndes  al  aboute  hir  feet, 

And  undernethe  hir  feet  she  hadde  a  moone, 
Wexynge  it  was,  and  sholde  wanye  soone. 

In  gaude  grene  hir  statue  clothed  was, 

With  bowe  in  honde  and  arwes  in  a  cas  ;  2080 
Hir  eyen  caste  she  ful  lowe  adoun 
Ther  Pluto  hath  his  derke  regioun. 

A  womman  travaillynge  was  hire  biforn, 

But,  for  hir  child  so  longe  was  unborn, 

1  This  is  an  error,  for  Callisto  was  changed  into  Arctos,  or  the 
Great  Bear,  while  the  Pole-star  is  in  the  Lesser  Bear.  2  Elies.  MS. 
has  “  say  you.'"  “  Further.  4  Areas.  5  Constellation  (Bootes). 
6  Daphne.  7  Actaeon.  8  Devoured. 


8o 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Ful  pitously  Lucyna  1  gan  she  calle 
And  seyde,  “  Helpe,  for  thou  mayst  best  of 
alle.” 

Wei  koude  he  peynten  lifly,2  that  it  wroghte ; 
With  many  a  floryn  he  the  hewes  boghte. 

Now  been  the  lystes  maad,  and  Theseus,  — 
That  at  his  grete  cost  arrayed  thus  2090 

The  temples,  and  the  theatre  every  deel,  — 
Whan  it  was  doon  hym  lyked  wonder  weel ; 

But  stynte  I  wole  of  Theseus  a  life, 

And  speke  of  Palamon  and  of  Arcite. 

The  day  approcheth  of  hir  retournynge, 

That  everich  sholde  an  hundred  knyghtes 
brynge, 

The  bataille  to  darreyne,3  as  I  yow  tolde, 

And  til  Atthenes,  hir  covenantz  for  to  holde, 
Hath  everich  of  hem  broght  an  hundred 
knyghtes  (2101  T.) 

Wei  armed  for  the  werre  at  alle  rightes ;  2100 

And  sikerly  ther  trowed  many  a  man 
That  nevere  sithen  that  the  world  bigan, 

As  for  to  speke  of  knyghthod  of  hir  hond, 

As  fer  as  God  hath  maked  see  or  lond, 

Nas,4  of  so  fewe,  so  noble  a  compaignye  ; 

For  every  wight  that  lovede  chivalrye 
And  wolde,  his  thankes,5  han  a  passant 6  name, 
Hath  preyed  that  he  myghte  been  of  that 
game;  . 

1  Diana.  2  Like  the  life.  3  Contend.  1  Was  not.  5  Willingly. 
6  Excelling. 


THE  WARRIORS  AND  THEIR  ARMS.  8 1 

And  vvel  was  hym  that  ther-to  chosen  was ; 

For  if  ther  fille  tomorwe  swich  a  caas,  2110 
Ye  knowen  wel  that  every  lusty  knyght 
That  loveth  paramours,  and  hath  his  myght, 
Were  it  in  Engelond  or  elles  where, 

They  wolde,  hir  thankes,  wilnen  to  be  there. 

To  fighte  for  a  lady,  —  benedicitee  ! 

It  were  a  lusty  sighte  for  to  see. 

And  right  so  ferden  1  they  with  Palamon. 
With  hym  ther  wenten  knyghtes  many  on; 

Som  wol  ben  armed  in  an  haubergeoun, 

And  in  bristplate  and  in  a  light  gypoun  ;  2120 
And  somme  woln  have  a  paire  plates  large ; 
And  somme  woln  have  a  Pruce  sheeld  or  a 
targe  ; 

Somme  woln  ben  armed  on  hir  legges  weel, 
And  have  an  ax,  and  somme  a  mace  of  steel ; 
Ther  is  no  newe  gyse2  that  it  nas  old. 

Armed  were  they  as  I  have  yow  told 
Everych  after  his  opinioun. 

Ther  maistow  seen  comynge  with  Palamoun 
Lygurge  3  hym-self,  the  grete  kyng  of  Trace  ; 
Blak  was  his  berd,  and  manly  was  his  face ; 
The  cercles  of  hise  eyen  in  his  heed  2131 
They  gloweden  bitwyxen  yelow  and  reed, 

And  lik  a  grifphon  looked  he  aboute, 

With  kempe  4  heeris  on  hise  browes  stoute  ; 
Hise  lymes  grete,  hise  brawnes  harde  and 
stronge, 

1  Went.  2  Fashion.  3  Lycurgus.  4  Crooked,  shaggy. 

VOL.  I.  6 


82  THE  knight’s  TALE. 

Hise  shuldres  brode,  his  armes  rounde  and 
l°nge, 

And,  as  the  gyse  was  in  his  contree, 

Ful  hye  upon  a  chaar 1  of  gold  stood  he 
With  foure  white  boles  in  the  trays.2 
In  stede  of  cote-armure,  over  his  harnays  2140 
With  nayles  yelewe,  and  brighte  as  any  gold, 
He  hadde  a  beres  skyn,  colblak  for  old. 

His  longe  heer  was  kembd  3  bihynde  his  bak  ; 
As  any  ravenes  fethere  it  shoon  for  blak  ; 

A  wrethe  of  gold,  arm  greet,4  of  huge  wighte, 
Upon  his  heed  set  ful  of  stones  brighte, 

Of  fyne  rubyes  and  of  dyamauntz  ; 

Aboute  his  chaar  ther  wenten  white  alauntz,5 
Twenty  and  mo,  as  grete  as  any  steer,  (2151  t.) 
To  hunten  at  the  leon  or  the  deer;  2150 

And  folwed  hym  with  mosel 6  faste  ybounde, 
Colered  7  of  gold  and  tourettes  8  fyled  rounde. 
An  hundred  lordes  hadde  he  in  his  route, 
Armed  ful  wel,  with  hertes  stierne  and  stoute. 

With  Arcite  in  stories  as  men  fynde 
The  grete  Emetreus,  the  kyng  of  Inde, 

Up  on  a  steede  bay,  trapped  in  steel, 

Covered  in  clooth  of  gold,  dyapred  weel, 

Cam  ridynge  lyk  the  god  of  armes,  Mars. 

His  cote  armure  was  of  clooth  of  Tars  2160 
Couched9  with  perles,  white  and  rounde  and 
grete ; 

1  Chariot.  -  Traces.  3  Combed.  4  Of  the  size  of  the  arm. 
6  Dogs.  0  Muzzle.  7  Collared.  8  Rings.  8  Trimmed.  (Literally, 
laid. ) 


THE  WARRIORS  AND  THEIR  ARMS.  83 

His  sadel  was  of  brend  1  gold,  newe  ybete  ; 

A  mantel  was  up  on  bis  shulder  hangynge, 

Brat 2  ful  of  rubyes  rede,  as  fyr  sparklynge  ; 

His  crispe  heer,  lyk  rynges  was  yronne, 

And  that  was  yelow,  and  glytered  as  the  sonne. 
His  nose  was  heigh,  his  eyen  bright  citryn  ; 8 
Hise  lippes  rounde,  his  colour  was  sangwyn  • 

A  fewe  frakenes  4  in  his  face  yspreynd,5 
Bitwixen  yelow  and  somdel  blak  ymeynd,6  2170 
And  as  a  leoun  he  his  lookyng  caste. 

Of  fyve  and  twenty  yeer  his  age  I  caste  ; 

His  berd  was  wel  bigonne  for  to  sprynge  ; 

His  voys  was  as  a  trompe  thondrynge  ; 

Up-on  his  heed  he  wered,  of  laurer  grene, 

A  gerland,  fressh  and  lusty  for  to  sene. 

Up-on  his  hand  he  bar  for  his  deduyt 7 
An  egle  tame,  as  any  lilye  whyt. 

An  hundred  lordes  hadde  he  with  hym  there, 
A1  armed,  save  hir  heddes,  in  al  hir  gere,  2180 
Ful  richely  in  alle  maner  thynges  ; 

For  trusteth  wel  that  dukes,  erles,  kynges, 
Were  gadered  in  this  noble  compaignye, 

For  love  and  for  encrees  of  chivalrye. 

Aboute  this  kyng  ther  ran  on  every  part 
Ful  many  a  tame  leoun  and  leopard. 

And  in  this  wise  these  lordes  alle  and  some 
Been  on  the  Sonday  to  the  citee  come 
Aboute  pryme,8  and  in  the  toun  alight.  2189 


1  Burnt.  t  -  Brim.  3  Pale  yellow.  4  Freckles.  5  Sprinkled. 
6  Mingled.  7  Delight.  8  A  morning  hour. 


84  the  knight’s  tale. 

This  Theseus,  this  due,  this  worthy  knyght, 
Whan  he  had  broght  hem  in  to  his  citee 
And  inned  1  hem,  everich  in  his  degree, 

He  festeth  hem,  and  dooth  so  greet  labour 
To  esen  hem,  and  doon  hem  al  honour, 

That  yet  men  weneth  that  no  maner  wit 
Of  noon  estaat  ne  koude  amenden  it. 

The  mynstraleye,  the  service  at  the  feeste, 
The  grete  giftes  to  the  meeste  and  leeste, 

The  riche  array  of  Theseus  paleys,  (2201  T.) 
Ne  who  sat  first,  ne  last  up-on  the  deys,2  2200 
What  ladyes  fairest  been,  or  best  daunsynge, 
Or  which  of  hem  kan  dauncen  best  and  synge, 
Ne  who  moost  felyngly  speketh  of  love, 

What  haukes  sitten  on  the  perche  above, 

What  houndes  liggen3  in  the  floor  adoun,  — 

Of  al  this  make  I  now  no  mencioun, 

Bui  al  theffect,  that  thynketh  me  the  beste  ; 
Now  cometh  the  point,  and  herkneth  if  yow 
leste. 

The  Sonday  nyght,  er  day  bigan  to  sprynge, 
Whan  Palamon  the  larke  herde  synge,  2210 
Al  though  it  nere  nat  day  by  houres  two, 

Yet  song  the  larke,  and  Palamon  also. 

With  hooly  herte  and  with  an  heigh  corage, 

He  roos  to  wenden  on  his  pilgrymage 
Un-to  the  blisful  Citherea  benigne,  — 

I  mene  Venus,  honurable  and  digne, — 

And  in  hir  houre  4  he  walketh  forth  a  paas 

1  Housed.  2  Dais.  3  Lie.  4  Monday,  two  hours  before  sunrise. 


THE  PRAYER  OF  PALAMON. 


85 


Un-to  the  lystes  ther  hire  temple  was, 

And  doun  he  kneleth  with  ful  humble  cheer 
And  herte  soor,  and  seyde  in  this  manere  :  — 

“  Faireste  of  faire,  o  lady  myn,  Venus,  2221 
Dough  ter  to  Jove,  and  spouse  of  Vulcanus, 
Thow  gladere  of  the  mount  of  Citheron, 

For  thilke  love  thow  haddest  to  Adoon,1 
Have  pitee  of  my  bittre  teeris  smerte, 

And  taak  myn  humble  preyere  at  thyn  herte. 
Allas  !  I  ne  have  no  langage  to  telle 
Theffectes  ne  the  tormentz  of  myn  helle ; 

Myn  herte  may  myne  harmes  nat  biwreye ; 

I  am  so  confus  that  I  kan  noght  seye.2  2230 
But  mercy,  lady  bright,  that  knowest  weele 
My  thought,  and  seest  what  harmes  that.  I  feele, 
Considere  al  this  and  rewe  up-on  my  soore  3 
As  wisly 4  as  I  shal  for  everemoore, 

Emforth  6  my  myght,  thy  trewe  servant  be, 

And  holden  werre  alwey  with  chastitee, 

That  make  I  myn  avow,  so  ye  me  helpe, 

I  kepe  6  noght  of  armes  for  to  yelpe. 

Ne  I  ne  axe  nat  tomorwe  to  have  victorie, 

Ne  renoun  in  this  cas,  ne  veyne  glorie  2240 
Of  pris  of  armes,  blowen  up  and  doun, 

But  I  wolde  have  fully  possessioun 
Of  Emelye,  and  dye  in  thy  servyse. 

Fynd  thow  the  manere,  hou  and  in  what  wyse, 

I  recche  nat,  but  it  may  bettre  be  (2247  T0 
To  have  victorie  of  hem,  or  they  of  me, 


1  Adonis.  2  Say.  3  Grief. 
*  Care. 


4  As  truly. 


5  To  the  extent  of. 


86 


THE  KNIGHT  S  TALE. 


So  that  I  have  my  lady  in  myne  armes, 

For  though  so  be  that  Mars  is  god  of  armes, 
Youre  vertu  is  so  greet  in  hevene  above 
That  if  yow  list  I  shal  wel  have  my  love.  2250 
“  Thy  temple  wol  I  worshipe  everemo, 

And  on  thyn  auter,  where  1  I  ride  or  go,2 
I  wol  doon  sacrifice  and  fires  beete ; 3 
And  if  ye  wol  nat  so,  my  lady  sweete, 

Thanne  preye  I  thee,  tomorwe  with  a  spere 
That  Arcita  me  thurgh  the  herte  bere ; 

Thanne  rekke  I  noght  whan  I  have  lost  my  lyf 
Though  that  Arcita  wynne  hire  to  his  w'yf  : 

This  is  theffect  and  ende  of  my  preyere,  — 

Gif  me  my  love,  thow  blisful  lady  deere.”  2260 
Whan  the  orison  was  doon  of  Palamon, 

His  sacrifice  he  dide,  and  that  anon, 

Ful  pitously  with  alle  circumstaunce, 

A1  telle  1  noght  as  now  his  observaunce ; 

But  atte  laste  the  statue  of  Venus  shook 
And  made  a  signe  wher  by  that  he  took 
That  his  preyere  accepted  was  that  day ; 

For  thogh  the  signe  shewed  a  delay, 

Yet  wiste  he  wel  that  graunted  was  his  boone, 
And  with  glad  herte  he  wente  hym  hoom  ful 
soone.  2270 

The  thridde  houre 4  in-equal  that  Palamon 
Bigan  to  Venus  temple  for  to  gon, 

Up  roos  the  sonne  and  up  roos  Emelye, 

And  to  the  temple  of  Dyane  gan  hye. 

1  Whether.  2  Walk.  3  Kindle.  4  The  “hour”  of  Diana. 


emelye’s  prayer. 


87 


Hir  maydens  that  she  thider  with  hire  ladde 
Ful  redily  with  hem  the  fyr  they  ladde,1 
Thencens,  the  clothes,  and  the  remenant  al 
That  to  the  sacrifice  longen  shal, 

The  homes  fulle  of  meeth  2  as  was  the  gyse,  — 
Ther  lakked  noght  to  doon  hir  sacrifise.  2280 
Smokynge  the  temple,  ful  of  clothes  faire, 
This  Emelye,  with  herte  debonaire, 

Hir  body  wessh  with  water  of  a  welle  ; 3 
But  hou  she  dide  hir  ryte  I  dar  nat  telle, 

But  it  be  any  thing  in  general, 

And  yet  it  were  a  game  to  heeren  al ; 

To  hym  that  meneth  wel  it  were  no  charge,4 
But  it  is  good  a  man  been  at  his  large. 

Hir  brighte  heer  was  kempd,5  untressed  al, 

A  coroune  of  a  grene  00k  cerial  2290 

Up-on  hir  heed  was  set  ful  fair  and  rneete  ; 
Two  fyres  on  the  auter  gan  she  beete, 

And  dide  hir  thynges  6  as  men  may  biholde 
In  Stace  of  Thebes,7  and  thise  bookes  olde. 
Whan  kyndled  was  the  fyr,  with  pitous  cheere, 
Un-to  Dyane  she  spak  as  ye  may  heere  :  — 

“  O  chaste  goddesse  of  the  wodes  grene, 

To  whom  bothe  hevene  and  erthe  and  see  is 
sene,  (2300  T.) 

Queene  of  the  regne  of  Pluto  derk  and  lowe, 
Goddesse  of  maydens  that  myn  herte  hast 
knowe  2300 


1  Carried.  2  Mead.  3  Spring.  4  Harm.  5  Wavy.  6  Duties. 
1  The  Thebais  of  Statius. 


88  the  knight’s  tale. 

Ful  many  a  veer,  and  woost  what  I  desire, 

As  keepe  me  fro  thy  vengeaunce  and  thyn  ire 
That  Attheon  aboughte  1  cruelly  ; 

Chaste  goddesse,  wel  wostow  that  I 
Desire  to  ben  a  mayden  al  my  lyf, 

Ne  nevere  wol  I  be  no  love,  ne  wyf. 

I  am,  thow  woost,  yet  of  thy  compaignye 
A  mayde,  and  love  huntynge  and  venerye,2 
And  for  to  walken  in  the  wodes  wilde,  2309 
And  noght  to  ben  a  wyf  and  be  with  childe ; 
Noght  wol  I  knowe  the  compaignye  of  man. 
Now  helpe  me,  lady,  sith  ye  may  and  kan, 

For  tho  thre  formes  3  that  thou  hast  in  thee. 
And  Palamon,  that  hath  swich  love  to  me, 

And  eek  Arcite  that  loveth  me  so  soore, 

This  grace  I  preye  thee  with  oute  moore  ; 

And  sende  love  and  pees  bitwixe  hem  two, 
And  fro  me  turne  awey  hir  hertes  so 
That  al  hire  hoote  love  and  hir  desir, 

And  al  hir  bisy  torment  and  hir  fir,  2320 

Be  queynt  or  turned  in  another  place. 

And  if  so  be  thou  wolt  do  me  no  grace, 

And  if  my  destynee  be  shapen  so 
That  I  shal  nedes  have  oon  of  hem  two, 

As  sende  me  hym  that  moost  desireth  me. 
Bihoold,  goddesse  of  clene  chastitee, 

The  bittre  teeres  that  on  my  chekes  falle. 

Syn  thou  art  mayde,  and  kepere  of  us  alle, 


1  Actason  atoned  for.  2  The  chase.  3  This  goddess  is  known  as 
Luna,  Lucina,  Proserpina. 


DIANA  APPEARS  TO  EMELYE.  89 

My  maydenhede  thou  kepe  and  wel  conserve 
And  whil  I  lyve  a  mayde  I  vvol  thee  serve.”  2330 
The  fires  brenne  up-on  the  auter  cleere 
Whil  Emelye  was  thus  in  hir  preyere, 

But  sodeynly  she  saugh  a  sighte  queynte,1 
For  right  anon  oon  of  the  fyres  queynte  2 
And  quyked  agayn,  and  after  that,  anon 
That  oother  fyr  was  queynt 3  and  al  agon, 

And  as  it  queynte  it  made  a  whistlynge, 

As  doon  thise  wete  brondes 4  in  hir  brennynge  ; 
And  at  the  brondes  ende  out  ran  anon 
As  it  were  blody  dropes  many  oon  ;  2340 

For  which  so  soore  agast  was  Emelye 
That  she  was  wel  ny  mad,  and  gan  to  crye, 

For  she  ne  wiste  what  it  signyfied, 

But  oonly  for  the  feere  thus  hath  she  cried, 
And  weepe  that  it  was  pitee  for  to  heere  ; 

And  ther  with  al  Dyane  gan  appeere,  (2348  t.) 
With  bowe  in  honde  right  as  an  hunteresse, 
And  seyde,  “  Doghter,  stynt  thyn  hevynesse. 

“Among  the  goddes  hye  it  is  affermed, 

And  by  eterne  word  writen  and  confermed,  2350 
Thou  shalt  ben  wedded  un-to  oon  of  tho 
That  han  for  thee  so  muchel  care  and  wo, 

But  un-to  which  of  hem  I  may  nat  telle. 

Farwel,  for  I  ne  may  no  lenger  dwelle. 

The  fires  whiche  that  on  myn  auter  brenne 
Shulle  thee  declare,  er  that  thou  go  henne, 
Thyn  aventure  of  love,  as  in  this  cas.” 

1  Strange.  2  Languished.  8  Quenched.  4  Brands. 


90  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

And  with  that  word  the  arwes  in  the  caas 
Of  the  goddesse  clateren  faste  and  rynge, 

And  forth  she  wente  and  made  a  vanysshynge, 
For  which  this  Emelye  astoned  was,  2361 
And  seyde,  “  What  amounteth  this,  alias  ! 

I  putte  me  in  thy  proteccioun, 

Dyane,  and  in  thy  disposicioun.” 

And  hoom  she  goth  anon  the  nexte  weye. 

This  is  theffect,  ther  is  namoore  to  seye. 

The  nexte  houre  of  Mars  folwynge  this,1 
Arcite  un-to  the  temple  walked  is 
Of  fierse  Mars,  to  doon  his  sacrifise 
With  alle  the  rytes  of  his  payen  wyse.2  2370 
With  pitous  herte  and  heigh  devocioun 
Right  thus  to  Mars  he  seyde  his  orisoun :  — 

“  O  stronge  god,  that  in  the  regnes  colde 
Of  Trace  honoured  art  and  lord  yholde, 

And  hast  in  every  regne  and  every  lond 
Of  armes  al  the  brydel  in  thyn  hond, 

And  hem  fortunest  as  thee  lyst  devyse, 

Accepte  of  me  my  pitous  sacrifise. 

If  so  be  that  my  youthe  may  deserve,  2379 
And  that  my  myght  be  worthy  for  to  serve 
Thy  godhede,  that  I  may  been  oon  of  thyne, 
Thanne  preye  I  thee  to  rewe  up-on  my  pyne. 
For  thilke  peyne,  and  thilke  hoote  fir, 

In  which  thou  whilom  brendest  for  desir, 

Whan  that  thou  usedeste  the  beautee 
Of  faire,  yonge,  fresshe  Venus  free, 


1  The  fourth  hour  of  the  day  2  Pagan  custom. 


ARCITE  S  PRAYER. 


91 


And  haddest  hire  in  armes  at  thy  wille, 

A1  though  thee  ones  on  a  tyme  mysfille, 

Whan  Vulcanus  hadde  caught  thee  in  his  las,1 
And  foond  thee  liggynge  by  his  wyf,  —  alias  ! 
For  thilke  sorwe  that  was  in  thyn  herte,  2391 
Have  routhe  as  wel  up-on  my  peynes  smerte. 

I  am  yong  and  unkonnynge,  as  thow  woost, 
And,  as  I  trowe,  with  love  offended  moost 
That  evere  was  any  lyves2  creature  ;  (2397  T.) 
For  she  that  dooth  me  al  this  wo  endure 
Ne  reccheth  nevere  wher  I  synke  or  fleete.3 
And  wel  I  woot  er  she  me  mercy  heete  4 
I  moot  with  strengthe  Wynne  hire  in  the  place, 
And  wel  I  woot  withouten  helpe  or  grace  2400 
Of  thee,  ne  may  my  strengthe  noght  availle. 
Thanne  helpe  me,  lord,  tomorwe  in  my  bataille, 
For  thilke  fyr  that  whilom  brente  thee, 

As  wel  as  thilke  fyr  now  brenneth  me, 

And  do  that  I  tomorwe  have  victorie. 

Myn  be  the  travaille,  and  thyn  be  the  glorie. 
Thy  sovereyn  temple  wol  I  moost  honouren 
Of  any  place,  and  alwey  moost  labouren 
In  thy  plesaunce,  and  in  thy  craftes  stronge  ; 
And  in  thy  temple  I  wol  my  baner  bonge,  2410 
And  alle  the  armes  of  my  compaignye, 

And  evere  mo,  un-to  that  day  I  dye, 

Eterne  fir  I  wol  biforn  thee  fynde  : 

And  eek  to  this  avow  I  wol  me  bynde. 

My  beerd,  myn  heer,  that  hongeth  long  adoun, 


1  Snare.  2  Live.  3  Whether  I  sink  or  float.  4  Promise. 


I 


92  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

That  nevere  yet  ne  felte  offensioun 
Of  rasour  nor  of  sbere,  I  wol  thee  geve, 

And  ben  thy  trewe  servant  whil  I  lyve.  2418 
Now,  lord,  have  routhe  up-on  my  sorwes  soore, 
Gif  me  the  victorie,  I  aske  thee  namoore  !  ” 
The  preyere  stynt 1  of  Arcita  the  stronge, 
The  rynges  on  the  temple  dore  that  honge, 

And  eek  the  dores,  clatereden  ful  faste, 

Of  which  Arcita  som  what  hym  agaste. 

The  fyres  brende  up-on  the  auter  brighte, 

That  it  gan  al  the  temple  for  to  lighte ; 

And  sweete  smel  the  ground  anon  up  gaf, 

And  Arcita  anon  his  hand  up  haf  2 
And  moore  encens  in  to  the  fyr  he  caste, 

With  othere  rytes  mo,  and  atte  last  24 30 

The  statue  of  Mars  bigan  his  hauberk  rynge ; 
And  with  that  soun  he  herde  a  murmurynge  . 
Ful  lowe  and  dym,  that’-'  seyde  thus:  “Victo¬ 
rie  !  ” 

For  which  he  gaf  to  Mars  honour  and  glorie. 
And  thus  with  joye  and  hope  wel  to  fare, 

Arcite  anon  un-to  his  in  is  fare, 

As  fayn  as  fowel  is  of  the  brighte  sonne. 

And  right  anon  swich  strif  ther  is  bigonne 
For  thilke  grauntyng  in  the  hevene  above, 
Bitwixe  Venus,  the  goddesse  of  love,  2440 
And  Mars,  the  stierne  god  armypotente, 

That  Juppiter  was  bisy  it  to  stente  ; 

Til  that  the  pale  Saturnus  the  colde, 

1  Ended.  2  Heaved.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “  and. 


SATURN  SPEAKS. 


93 


That  knew  so  manye  of  aventures  olde, 

Foond  in  his  olde  experience  and  art 
That  he  ful  soone  hath  plesed  every  part.1 
As  sooth  is  seyd,  elde  hath  greet  avantage  ; 

In  elde  is  bothe  wysdom  and  usage;  (2450  t.) 
Men  may  the  olde  at-renne  2  and  noght  at-rede.8 
Saturne  anon,  to  stynten  strif  and  drede,  2450 
A1  be  it  that  it  is  agayn  his  kynde,4 
Of  al  this  strif  he  gan  remedie  fynde. 

“  My  deere  doghter  Venus,”  quod  Saturne, 

“  My  cours,  that  hath  so  wyde  for  to  turne, 
Hath  moore  power  than  woot  any  man ; 

Myn  is  the  drenchyng  5  in  the  see  so  wan, 

Myn  is  the  prison  in  the  derke  cote, 

Myn  is  the  stranglyng  and  hangyng  by  the 
throte, 

The  murmure  and  the  cherles  rebellyng, 

The  groynynge  6  and  the  pryvee  empoysonyng  ; 
I  do  vengeance  and  pleyn  correccioun  2461 
Whiles  I  dwelle  in  signe  of  the  leoun  ; 

Myn  is  the  ruyne  of  the  hye  halles, 

The  fallynge  of  the  toures  and  of  the  walles, 
Up-on  the  mynour  or  the  carpenter, — 

I  slow  Sampsoun,  shakynge  the  piler,  — 

And  myne  be  the  maladyes  colde, 

The  derke  tresons  and  the  castes7  olde; 

My  lookyng  is  the  fader  of  pestilence  ;  2469 

Now  weepe  namoore,  I  shal  doon  diligence 


1  Party.  2  Outrun.  3  Outwit.  Cf.  Troyhts  and  Cryseyde,  iv. 
1456.  4  Against  his  nature.  5  Drowning.  fi  Stabbing.  7  Plots. 


94 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


That  Palamon,  that  is  thyn  owene  knyght, 

Shal  have  his  lady  as  thou  hast  him  hight.1 
Though  Mars  shal  helpe  his  knyght,  yet  nathe- 
lees, 

Bitwixe  yow  ther  moot  be  som  tyme  pees, 

A1  be  ye  noght  of  o  compleccioun, 

That  causeth  al  clay  swich  divisioun. 

I  am  thyn  aiel,2  redy  at  thy  wille  ; 

Weepe  now  namoore,  I  wol  thy  lust  fulfille.” 

Now  wol  I  stynten  of  the  goddes  above, 

Of  Mars,  and  of  Venus,  goddesse  of  love,  2480 
And  telle  yow,  as  pleynly  as  I  kan, 

The  grete  effect3  for  which  that  I  bygan. 

FOURTH  PART. 

Greet  was  the  feeste  in  Atthenes  that  day, 
And  eek  the  lusty  seson  of  that  May 
Made  every  wight  to  been  in  such  plesaunce, 
That  al  that  Monday  justen  they  and  daunce, 
And  spenten  it  in  Venus  heigh  servyse  ; 

But,  by  the  cause  that  they  sholde  ryse 
Eerly  for  to  seen  the  grete  fight, 

Un-to  hir  reste  wen  ten  they  at  nyght.  2490 
And  on  the  morwe,  whan  that  day  gan  sprynge, 
Of  hors  and  harneys  noyse  and  claterynge 
Ther  was  in  the  hostelryes  al  aboute, 

And  to  the  paleys  rood  ther  many  a  route 
Of  lordes,  up-on  steedes  and  palfreys.  (2497  T.) 
Ther  maystow  seen  divisynge  of  harneys 

1  Promised.  -  A  iezil,  grandfather.  3  Denouement. 


PREPARING  FOR  THE  TOURNEY.  95 

So  unkouth  1  and  so  riche,  and  wroght  so  weel 
Of  goldsmythrye,  of  browdynge,  and  of  steel, 
The  sheeldes  brighte,  testeres,2  and  trappures  ; 
Gold-hewen  helmes,  hauberkes,  cote  armures  ; 
Lordes  in  paramentz  8  on  hir  courseres  ;  2501 

Knyghtes  of  retenue,  and  eek  squieres, 
Nailynge  the  speres,  and  helmes  bokelynge, 
Giggynge  4  of  sheeldes  with  layneres  6  lacynge  ; 
There,  as  nede  is,  they  weren  no  thyng  ydel. 
The  fomy  steedes  on  the  golden  brydel 
Gnawynge,  and  faste  the  armurers  also, 

With  fyle  and  hamer,  prikynge  to  and  fro  ; 
Yemen  on  foyte,6  and  communes  many  oon, 
With  shorte  staves  thikke  as  they  may  goon  ; 
Pypes,  trompes,  nakerers,7  clariounes,  2511 
That  in  the  bataille  blowen  blody  sounes  ; 

The  paleys  ful  of  peples  up  and  doun,  — 
Heere  thre,  ther  ten,  holdynge  hir  questioun,8 
Dyvynynge  of  thise  Thebane  knyghtes  two. 
Somme  seyden  thus,  somrne  seyde  it  shal  be  so, 
Somme  helden  with  hym  with  the  blake  berd, 
Somme  with  the  balled,  somme  with  the  thikke 
herd,9 

Somme  seyde  he  looked  grymme  and  he  wolde 
fighte,  2519 

He  hath  a  sparth 10  of  twenty  pound  of  wighte,  — 
Thus  was  the  halle  ful  of  divynynge 
Longe  after  that  the  sonne  gan  to  sprynge. 


1  Unknown.  2  Helms.  3  Trappings.  4  Clattering.  5  Thongs. 
8  Yeomen  on  foot.  7  Drums.  8  Debate.  8  Haired.  10  Halberd. 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


9  6 

The  grete  Theseus,  that  of  his  sleepe  awaked 
With  mynstralcie  and  noyse  that  was  maked, 
Heeld  yet  the  chambre  of  his  paleys  riche, 

Til  that  the  Thebane  knyghtes,  bothe  yliche 
Honured,  were  in  to  the  paleys  fet.1 
Due  Theseus  was*at  a  wyndow  set, 

Arrayed  right  as  he  were  a  god  in  trone. 

The  peple  preesseth  thiderward  ful  soone  2530 
Hym  for  to  seen,  and  doon  heigh  reverence, 
And  eek  to  herkne  his  heste2  and  his  sentence. 

An  heraud  on  a  scaffold  made  an  “  Oo  !  ” 

Til  al  the  noyse  of  peple  was  ydo  ; 

And  whan  he  saugh  the  noyse  of  peple  al  stille, 
Tho  3  shewed  he  the  myghty  dukes  wille. 

“  The  lord  hath  of  his  heih  discrecioun 
Considered  that  it  were  destruccioun 
To  gen  til  blood  to  tighten  in  the  gyse 
Of  mortal  bataille  now  in  this  emprise,  2540 
Wherfore,  to  shapen  that  they  shal  nat  dye, 

He  wolde  his  firste  purpos  modifye. 

‘‘No  man  ther  fore,  up  peyne  of  los  of  lyf, 
No  maner  shot,4  polax,  ne  shorte  knyf, 

In  to  the  lystes  sende,  ne  thider  brynge ; 

Ne  short  swerd,  for  to  steke6  with.poynt  bit- 
ynge, 

No  man  ne  drawe  ne  bere  by  his  syde. 

Ne  no  man  shal  un-to  his  felawe  ryde  (2550  t.) 
But  o  cours  with  a  sharpe  ygrounde  spere  ; 

1  Fetched.  2  Command.  3  Then  4  Missile.  6  Elies.  MS.  has 
“  stoke.” 


GOD  SAVE  DUC  THESEUS ! 


97 


Foyne,  if  hym  list,  on  foote,  hym  self  to  were.1 
And  he  that  is  at  meschief  shal  be  take,  2551 
And  noght  slayn,  but  be  broght  un-to  the  stake 
That  shal  ben  ordeyned  on  either  syde, 

But  thider  he  shal  by  force,  and  there  abyde. 

“  And  if  so  be  the  chieftayn  be  take 
On  outher  syde,  or  elles  sleen  his  make,2 
No  lenger  shal  the  turneiynge  laste. 

God  specie  you  !  gooth  forth,  and  ley  on  faste  ! 
With  long  swerd  and  with  maces  fighteth  youre 
fille.  2559 

Gooth  now  youre  wey,  this  is  the  lordes  will.” 

The  voys  of  peple  touched  the  hevene, 

So  loude  cride  they,  with  murie  stevene,3 
“  God  save  swich  a  lord,  that  is  so  good, 

He  wilneth  no  destruccion  of  blood  !  ” 

Up  goon  the  trompes  and  the  melodye 
And  to  the  lystes  rit  the  compaignye 
By  ordinance  tliurgh  out  the  citee  large, 
Hanged  with  clooth  of  gold  and  nat  with  sarge. 

Ful  lik  a  lord  this  noble  due  gan  ryde, 

Thise  two  Thebans  up-on  either  side  ;  2570 

And  after  rood  the  queene  and  Emelye, 

And  after  that  another  compaignye 
Of  oon  and  oother  after  hir  degre; 

And  thus  they  passen  thurgh  out  the  citee, 

And  to  the  lystes  come  they  by  tyme. 

It  nas  not  of  the  day  yet  fully  pryme 
Whan  set  was  Theseus  ful  riche  and  hye, 

1  Guard.  2  Slay  his  mate.  3  Pleasant  voice. 

7 


VOL.  I. 


98  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

Ypolita  the  queene  and  Emelye, 

And  othere  ladys  in  degrees  aboute. 

Un-to  the  seettes  preesseth  al  the  route,  2580 
And  westward,  thurgh  the  gates  under  Marte, 
Arcite,  and  eek  the  hondred  of  his  parte, 

With  baner  reed  is  entred  right  anon. 

And  in  that  selve  moment  Palamon 
Is  under  Venus,  estward  in  the  place, 

With  baner  whyt,  and  hardy  chiere  and  face. 

In  al  the  world  to  seken  up  and  doun 
So  evene,  with  outen  variacioun, 

Ther  nere  swiche  compaignyes  tweye ; 

For  ther  was  noon  so  wys  that  koude  seye  2590 
That  any  hadde  of  oother  avauntage 
Of  worthynesse,  ne  of  estaat,  ne  age, 

So  evene  were  they  chosen,  for  to  gesse, 

And  in  two  renges  1  faire  they  hem  dresse. 

Whan  that  hir  names  rad  2  were  everichon, 
That  in  hir  nombre  gyle  were  ther  noon, 

Tho  were  the  gates  shet  and  cried  was  loude, 

“  Do  now  youre  devoir ,  yonge  knyghtes  proude  !  ” 
The  heraudes  lefte  hir  prikyng  up  and  doun  ; 
Now  ryngen  trompes  loude  and  clarioun  ;  2600 
Ther  is  namoore  to  seyn,  but  west  and  est, 

In  goon  the  speres  ful  sadly  3  in  arrest ; 

In  gooth  the  sharpe  spore  in  to  the  syde. 

Ther  seen  men  who  kan  juste  and  who  kan 
ryde  ;  (2606  T.) 

Ther  shyveren  shaftes  up-on  sheeldes  thikke ; 

1  Ranks.  2  Read.  3  Firmly. 


THE  CLASH  OF  ARMS.  99 

He  feeleth  thurgh  the  herte-spoon1  the  prikke. 
Up  spryngen  speres  twenty  foot  on  highte  ; 
Out  gooth  the  swerdes  as  the  silver  brighte  : 
The  helmes  they  to-hewen  and  to-shrede,  2609 
Out  brest  the  blood  with  stierne  stremes  rede  ; 
With  myghty  maces  the  bones'they  to-breste. 
He,  thurgh  the  thikkeste  of  the  throng  gan 
threste, 

Ther,  stomblen  2  steedes  stronge,  and  doun 
gooth  al ; 

He,  rolleth  under  foot  as  dooth  a  bal ; 

He,  foyneth  on  his  feet  with  his  tronchoun, 

And  he,  hym  hurtleth  with  his  hors  adoun  ; 

He,  thurgh  the  body  is  hurt  and  sithen  ytake, 
Maugree  his  heed,  and  broght  un-to  the  stake, 
As  forward  3  was,  right  ther  he  moste  abyde. 
Another  lad4  is  on  that  oother  syde.  2620 
And  som  tyme  dooth  hem  Theseus  5  to  reste, 
Hem  to  fresshen  and  drynken,  if  hem  leste. 

Ful  ofte  a-day  han  thise  Thebanes  two, 
Togydre  ymet  and  wroght  his  felawe  wo ; 
Unhorsed  hath  ech  oother  of  hem  tweye. 

Ther  nas  no  tygre  in  the  vale  of  Galgopheye,6 
Whan  that  hir  whelpe  is  stole  whan  it  is  lite,7 
So  crueel  on  the  hunte,  as  is  Arcite 
For  jelous  herte  upon  this  Palamoun  ; 

Ne  in  Belmarye  8  ther  nys  so  fel  leoun  2630 
That  hunted  is,  or  for  his  hunger  wood, 

1  Breast-bone  (nearly).  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  semblen.”  s  Agree¬ 
ment.  4  Led.  6  Theseus  maketh  them.  6  An  African  vale  (?). 
i  Little.  8  Cf.  1.  57. 


1 00 


THE  KNIGHT  S  TALE. 


Ne  of  his  praye  desireth  so  the  blood, 

As  Palamoun,  to  sleen  his  foo  Arcite. 

The  jelous  strokes  on  hir  helmes  byte  ; 

Out  renneth  blood  on  bothe  hir  sydes  rede. 

Soni  tyme  an  ende  ther  is  of  every  dede, 

For,  er  the  sonne  un-to  the  reste  wente, 

The  stronge  kyng  Emetreus  gan  hente  1 
This  Palamon  as  he  faught  with  Arcite, 

And  made  his  swerd  depe  in  his  flessh  to  byte, 
And  by  the  force  of  twenty  is  he  take  2641 
Unyolden,2  and  ydrawe  unto  the  stake. 

And  in  the  rescus3  of  this  Palamoun  (2645  T0 
The  stronge  kyng  Lygurge  is  born  adoun, 

And  kyng  Emetreus,  for  al  his  strengthe, 

Is  born  out  of  his  sadel  a  swerdes  lengthe  ; 

So  hitte  him  Palamoun,  er  he  were  take  ; 

Bui  al  for  noght,  he  was  broght  to  the  stake. 
His  hardy  herte  myghte  hym  helpe  naught, 

He  moste  abyde,  whan  that  he  was  caught, 

By  force,  and  eek  by  composicioun.  2651 

Who  sorweth  now  but  woful  Palamoun, 

That  moot  namoore  goon  agayn  to  fighte  ? 

And  whan  that  Theseus  hadde  seyn  this  sighte, 
Un-to  the  folk  that  foghten  thus  echon 
He  cryde,  “  Hoo  !  namoore,  for  it  is  doon  ! 

I  wol  be  trewe  juge,  and  no  partie  ;4 
Arcite  of  Thebes  shall  have  Emelie 
That  by  his  fortune  hath  hire  faire  ywonne.” 
Anon  ther  is  a  noyse  of  peple  bigonne,  2660 

1  Seize.  3  Not  yielding.  3  Rescue.  4  Partisan. 


ARCITE  S  PRIDE  AND  FALL. 


IOI 


For  joye  of  this,  so  loude  and  heighe  with  alle, 
It  semed  that  the  lystes  sholde  falle. 

What  kan  now  faire  Venus  doon  above  ? 
What  seith  she  now,  what  dooth  this  queene  of 
love, 

But  wepeth  so,  for  wantynge  of  hir  wide, 

Til  that  hir  teeres  in  the  lystes  fide  ? 

She  seyde,  “  I  am  ashamed  doutelees.” 

Saturnus  seyde,  “  Doghter,  hoold  thy  pees. 
Mars  hath  his  wide,  his  knyght  hath  ad  his 
boone,  2669 

And,  by  myn  heed,  thow  shalt  been  esed  soone.” 

The  trompes,  with  the  loude  mynstralcie, 
The  heraudes,  that  ful  loude  yolle  and  crie, 
Been  in  hire  wele,1  for  joye  of  daun  Arcite. 

But  herkneth  me,  and  stynteth  now  a  lite, 
Which  a  myracle  ther  bifel  anon. 

This  fierse  Arcite  hath  of  his  helm  ydon,2 
And  on  a  courser,  for  to  shewe  his  face, 

He  priketh  endelong 8  the  large  place, 

Lokynge  upward  up-on  Emelye, 

And  she  agayn  hym  caste  a  freendlich  eye  2680 
(For  wommen,  as  to  speken  in  comune, 

Thei  folwen  ad  the  favour  of  Fortune),4 
And  was  al  his,  in  chiere,5  as  in  his  herte. 

Out  of  the  ground  a  furie  infernal  sterte, 
From  Pluto  sent,  at  requeste  of  Saturne, 

For  which  his  hors  for  fere  gan  to  turne, 

1  Prosperity.  2  Taken  off  his  helm.  3  From  end  to  end  of. 
4  These  two  lines  are  not  in  the  Elies.  MS.  8  Countenance. 


102  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

And  leepe  aside,  and  foundred  as  he  leepe, 
And  er  that  Arcite  may  taken  keepe,1  2688 
He  pighte2  hym  on  the  pomel 3  of  his  heed, 
That  in  the  place  he  lay  as  he  were  deed, 

His  brest  to-brosten  with  his  sadel-bowe. 

As  blak  he  lay  as  any  cole  or  crowe, 

So  was  the  blood  yronnen  in  his  face. 

Anon  he  was  yborn  out  of  the  place, 

With  herte  soor,  to  Theseus  paleys. 

Tho  was  he  korven  out  of  his  harneys, 

And  in  a  bed  ybrought  ful  faire  and  blyve,4 
For  he  was  yet  in  memorie  and  alyve,  (2700  T.) 
And  alwey  criynge  after  Emelye. 

Due  Theseus  with  al  his  compaignye  2700 
Is  comen  hoom  to  Atthenes  his  citee 
With  alle  blisse  and  greet  solempnitee  ; 

Al  be  it  that  this  aventure  was  falle 
He  nolde  noght  disconforten  hem  alle,  — 

Men  seyden  eek  that  Arcite  shal  nat  dye, 

He  shal  been  heeled  of  his  maladye. 

And  of  another  thyng  they  weren  as  fayn, 
That  of  hem  alle  was  ther  noon  yslayn, 

Al  were  they  soore  yhurt,  and  namely  oon, 
That  with  a  spere  was  thirled6  his  brest  boon. 
To  othere  woundes  and  to  broken  armes,  2711 
Somme  hadden  salves  and  somme  hadden 
charmes, 

Fermacies  6  of  herbes,  and  eek  save  7 
They  dronken,  for  they  wolde  hir  lyines  have. 

1  Care.  2  Pitched.  3  Top.  4  Quickly.  3  Pierced.  6  Medicines. 
7  Sage. 


“A  FEESTE  DAYES  THREE.”  IC>3 

For  which  this  noble  due,  as  he  wel  kan, 
Conforteth  and  honoureth  every  man, 

And  made  revel  al  the  longe  nyght 
Un-to  the  straunge  lordes  as  was  right ; 

Ne  ther  was'  holden  no  disconfitynge 

But  as  a  justes,  or  a  tourneiynge  ;  2720 

For  soothly  ther  was  no  disconfiture, 

For  fallyng  nys  nat  but  an  aventure, 

Ne  to  be  lad  by  force  un-to  the  stake 
Unyolden,  and  with  twenty  knyghtes  take, 

O  persone  allone,  with  outen  mo, 

And  haryed  1  forth  by  arme,  foot  and  too, 

And  eke  his  steede  dryven  forth  with  staves, 
With  footmen,  bothe  yemen  and  eek  knaves, 

It  nas  aretted  2  hym  no  vileynye, 

Ther  may  no  man  clepen  it  no  3  cowardye.  2730 
For  which  anon  due  Theseus  leet  crye, 

To  stynten  alle  rancour  and  envye, 

The  gree  4  as  wel  of  o  syde  as  of  oother, 

And  eyther  syde  ylik  as  ootheres  brother ; 

And  gaf  hem  giftes  after  hir  degree, 

And  fully  heeld  a  feeste  dayes  three, 

And  convoyed  the  kynges  worthily 
Out  of  his  toun,  a  journee  largely,5 
And  hoom  wente  every  man  the  righte  way. 
Ther  was  namoore,  but  “  Fare  wel  !  ”  “  Have 
good  day  !  ”  2740 

Of  this  bataille  I  wol  namoore  endite, 

But  speke  of  Palamoun  and  of  Arcyte. 

1  Taken  prisoner.  2  Counted.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Prize. 
8  Full  day’s  journey. 


104  THE  knight’s  tale. 

Swelleth  the  brest  of  Arcite,  and  the  soore 
Encreesseth  at  his  herte  moore  and  moore. 

The  clothered 1  blood,  for  any  lechecraft, 
Corrupteth,  and  is  in  his  bouk2  ylaft,  (2748  T.) 
That  neither  veyne-blood  ne  ventusynge,8 
Ne  drynke  of  herbes  may  ben  his  helpynge ; 
The  vertu  4  expulsif,  or  animal, 

Fro  thilke  vertu  cleped  natural,  2750 

Ne  may  the  venym  voyden  ne  expelle. 

The  pipes  of  his  longes  gonne  to  swelle, 

And  every  lacerte  5  in  his  brest  adoun 
Is  shent 6  with  venym  and  corrupcioun. 

Hym  gayneth  neither,  for  to  gete  his  lif, 

Vomyt  upward,  ne  dounward,  laxatif ; 

A1  is  to-brosten  7  thilke  regioun  ; 

Nature  hath  now  no  dominacioun  ; 

And  certeinly,  ther  Nature  wol  nat  wirche, 

Fare  wel  phisik,  go  ber  the  man  to  chirche. 
This  al  and  som,8  that  Arcita  moot  dye,  2761 
For  which  he  sendeth  after  Emelye, 

And  Palamon,  that  was  his  cosyn  deere. 
Thanne  seyde  he  thus  as  ye  shal  after  heere : 

“  Naught  may  the  woful  spirit  in  myn  herte 
Declare  o  point  of  alle  my  sorwes  smerte 
To  yow,  my  lady,  that  I  love  moost, 

But  I  biquethe  the  servyce  of  my  goost 
To  yow  aboven  every  creature, 

Syn  that  my  lyf  it  may  no  lenger  dure.  2770 

1  Clotted.  2  Body.  3  Cupping.  4  Energy.  6  Muscle.  6  Wasted 
J  Completely  burst,  ruined.  8  This  all  said. 


ARCITE  DYING. 


105 


Allas  the  wo !  alias,  the  peynes  stronge, 

That  I  for  yow  have  suffred,  and  so  longe  ! 
Allas,  the  deeth  !  alias,  myn  Emelye  ! 

Allas,  departynge  1  of  our  compaignye  ! 

Allas,  myn  hertes  queene  !  alias,  my  wyf ! 

Myn  hertes  lady,  endere  of  my  lyf ! 

What  is  this  world  ?  what  asketh  men  to  have  ? 
Now  with  his  love,  now  in  his  colde  grave 
Allone,  with  outen  any  compaignye. 

Fare  wel,  my  swete  foo,  myn  Emelye  !  2780 

And  softe  taak  me  in  youre  armes  tweye 
For  love  of  God,  and  herkneth  what  I  seye. 

“  I  have  heer  with  my  cosyn  Palamon 
Had  strif  and  rancour  many  a  day  agon 
For  love  of  yow,  and  for  my  jalousye, 

And  Juppiter  so  wys  my  soule  gye  2 
To  speken  of  a  servaunt  proprely, 

With  alle  circumstances  trewely,  — 

That  is  to  seyn,  trouthe,  honour,  knyghthede, 
Wysdom,  humblesse,  estaat  and  heigh  kynrede, 
Fredom,  and  al  that  longeth  to  that  art,  — 

So  Juppiter  have  of  my  soule  part  2792 

As  in  this  world  right  now  ne  knowe  I  non 
So  worthy  to  ben  loved  as  Palamon, 

That  serveth  yow  and  wol  doon  al  his  lyf. 

And  if  that  evere  ye  shul  ben  a  wyf,  (2798  t.) 
Forget  nat  Palamon,  the  gentil  man,”  — 

And  with  that  word  his  speche  faille  gan, 

And  from  his  herte  up  to  his  brest  was  come 


1  Sundering.  2  So  truly  guide  my  soul. 


106  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

The  coold  of  deeth,  that  hadde  hym  overcome  ; 
And  yet  moore  over,  for  in  his  armes  two,  2801 
The  vital  strengthe  is  lost  and  al  ago. 

Oonly  the  intellect,  with  outen  moore 
That  dwelled  in  his  herte  syk  and  soore, 

Gan  faillen  when  the  herte  felte  deeth, 

Dusked  hise  eyen  two  and  failled  breeth. 

But  on  his  lady  yet  caste  he  his  eye  ; 

His  laste  word  was,  “  Mercy,  Emelye  !  ” 

His  spirit  chaunged  hous,  and  wente  ther, 

As  I  cam  nevere,  I  kan  nat  tellen  wher.  2810 
Therfore  I  stynte,  I  nam  no  divinistre  ; 

Of  soules  fynde  I  nat  in  this  registre, 

Ne  me  ne  list  thilke  opinions  to  telle, 

Of  hem  though  that  they  writen  wher  they 
dwelle. 

Arcite  is  coold,  ther  Mars  his  soule  gye ; 

Now  wol  I  speken  forth  of  Emelye. 

Shrighte  Emelye,  and  howleth  Palamon, 

And  Theseus  his  suster  took  anon 
Swownynge,  and  baar  hire  fro  the  corps  away. 
What  helpeth  it  to  tarien  forth  the  day  2820 
To  tellen  how  she  weepe,  bothe  eve  and 
morwe  ? 

For  in  swich  cas  wommen  have  swiche  sorwe 
Whan  that  hir  housbonds  ben  from  hem  ago 
That  for  the  moore  part  they  sorwen  so, 

Or  ellis  fallen  in  swich  maladye 
That  at  the  laste  certeinly  they  dye. 

Infinite  been  the  sorwes  and  the  teeres 


io7 


aW0  AFTER  GLADNESSE.” 

Of  olde  folk,  and  eek  of  tendre  yeeres, 

In  all  the  toun  for  deeth  of  this  Theban  ; 

For  hym  ther  wepeth  bothe  child  and  man ; 

So  greet  a  wepyng  was  ther  noon  certayn  2831 
Whan  Ector  was  ybroght  al  fressh  yslayn 
To  Troye.  Allas  !  the  pitee  that  was  ther, 
Cracchynge  1  of  chekes,  rentynge  eek  of  heer. 
“  Why  woldestow  be  deed  ?  ”  thise  wommen 
crye, 

“  And  haddest  gold  ynough,  and  Emelye.” 

No  man  ne  myghte  gladen  Theseus, 

Savynge  his  olde  fader  Egeus, 

That  knew  this  worldes  transmutacioun, 

As  he  hadde  seyn  it  chaungen,2  up  and  doun, 
Joye  after  wo  and  wo  after  gladnesse,  2841 
And  shewed  hem  ensamples  and  liknesse. 

“  Right  as  ther  dyed  nevere  man,”  quod  he, 
“  That  he  ne  lyvede  in  erthe  in  som  degree, 
Right  so  ther  lyvede  never  man,”  he  seyde, 

“  In  all  this  world,  that  som  tym  he  ne  deyde  ; 
This  world  nys  but  a  thurghfare  ful  of  wo, 

And  we  been  pilgrymes  passynge  to  and  fro  ; 
Deeth  is  an  ende  of  every  worldes  soore ;  ” 
And  over  al  this  yet  seyde  he  muchel  moore 
To  this  effect,  ful  wisely  to  enhorte  (2853  t.) 
The  peple  that  they  sholde  hem  reconforte. 

Due  Theseus,  with  all  his  bisy  cure,3  2853 
Cast  now  wher  that  the  sepulture 
Of  goode  Arcite  may  best  ymaked  be, 

1  Scratching.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Care. 


108  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

And  eek  moost  honurable  in  his  degree ; 

And  at  the  laste  he  took  conclusioun 
That  ther  as  first  Arcite  and  Palamoun 
Hadden  for  love  the  bataille  hem  bitwene, 

That  in  that  selve  grove,  swoote  and  grene, 
Ther  as  he  hadde  hise  amorouse  desires,  2861 
His  compleynte,  and  for  love  hise  hoote  fires, 
He  wolde  make  a  fyr  in  which  the  office 
Funereal  he  myghte  al  accomplice  ; 

And  leet  comande  anon  to  hakke  and  hewe 
The  okes  olde,  and  leye  hem  on  a  rewe,1 
In  colpons,2  wel  arrayed  for  to  brenne. 

Hise  officers  with  swifte  feet  they  renne, 

And  ryden  anon  at  his  comandement. 

And  after  this  Theseus  hath  ysent  2870 

After  a  beere,  and  it  al  over  spradde 
With  clooth  of  gold,  the  richeste  that  he  hadde; 
And  of  the  same  suyte  he  clad  Arcite. 

Up-on  his  hondes  hadde  he  gloves  white, 

Eek  on  his  heed  a  coroune  of  laurer  grene, 
And  in  his  hond  a  swerd  ful  bright  and  kene. 
He  leyde  hym,  bare  the  visage,  on  the  beere. 
Ther-with  he  weepe  that  pitee  was  to  heere  ; 
And,  for  the  peple  sholde  seen  hym  alle, 

Whan  it  was  day  he  broghte  hym  to  the  halle, 
That  roreth  of  the  criyng  and  the  soun.  2881 
Tho  cam  this  woful  Theban  Palamoun, 

With  flotery3  berd  and  rugged  asshy  heeres, 

In  clothes  blake,  ydropped  al  with  teeres  ; 

1  Row.  2  Portions,  logs.  3  Flowing. 


THE  FUNEREAL  PROCESSION.  IO9 

And  passynge  othere  of  wepynge,  Emelye, 

The  revvefulleste  of  al  the  compaignye. 

In  as  muche  as  the  servyce  sholde  be 
The  moore  noble  and  riche  in  his  degree, 

Due  Theseus  leet  forth  thre  steedes  brynge, 
That  trapped  were  in  steele  al  gliterynge  2890 
And  covered  with  the  armes  of  daun  Arcite. 
Up-on  thise  steedes  grete  and  white, 

Ther  sitten  folk,  of  whiche  oon  baar  his  sheeld, 
Another  his  spere  in  his  hondes  heeld, 

The  thridde  baar  with  hym  his  bowe  Turkeys1 
(Of  brend  gold  was  the  caas,  and  eek  the  har- 
neys),  (2898  T.) 

And  riden  forth  a  paas  2  with  sorweful  cheere, 
Toward  the  grove,  as  ye  shul  after  heere. 

The  nobleste  of  the  Grekes  that  ther  were 
Up-on  hir  shuldres  caryeden  the  beere,  2900 
With  slake  paas,  and  eyen  rede  and  wete, 
Thurgh  out  the  citee  by  the  maister8  strete, 
That  sprad  was  al  with  blak  and  wonder  hye, 
Right  of  the  same  is  the  strete  ywrye.4 

Up-on  the  right  hond  wente  olde  Egeus, 

And  on  that  oother  syde  due  Theseus, 

With  vessels  in  hir  hand  of  gold  ful  fyn 
Al  ful  of  hony,  milk,  and  blood,  and  wyn : 

Eek  Palamon  with  ful  greet  compaignye, 

And  after  that  cam  woful  Emelye,  2910 

With  fyr  in  honde  as  was  that  tyme  the  gyse  5 
To  do  the  office  of  funeral  servyse. 

1  Turkish.  2  At  a  walk.  3  Chief.  4  Covered.  5  Fashion. 


I  IO 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Heigh  labour,  and  ful  greet  apparaillynge, 
Was  at  the  service  and  the  fyr  makynge, 

That  with  his  grene  tope  the  heven  raughte, 
And  twenty  fadme  of  brede  1  the  armes 
straughte,2 

This  is  to  seyn  the  bowes  weren  so  brode. 

Of  stree3  first  ther  was  leyd  ful  many  a  lode, 
But  how  the  fyr  was  maked  up  on  highte,  2919 
And  eek  the  names  that  the  trees  highte,  — 

As  00k,  firre,  birch,  aspe,  alder,  holm,  popeler, 
Wylugh,  elm,  plane,  assh,  box,  cbasteyn,4  lynde, 
laurer, 

Mapul,  thorn,  bech,  hasel,  ew,  whippeltre,5  — 
How  they  weren  feld  sbal  nat  be  took!  for  me; 
Ne  hou  the  goddes  ronnen  up  and  doun, 
Disherited  of  hire  habitacioun, 

In  whiche  they  woneden  6  in  reste  and  pees, 
Nymphus,  fawnes,  and  amadriades ; 

Ne  hou  the  beestes  and  the  briddes  alle  2929 
Fledden  for  fere,  whan  the  wode  was  falle ; 

Ne  how  the  ground  agast  was  of  the  light, 

That  was  nat  wont  to  seen  the  sonne  bright ; 
Ne  how  the  fyr  was  couched  7  first  with  stree, 
And  thanne  with  drye  stokkes,  cloven  a  thre, 
And  thanne  with  grene  wode  and  spicerye, 

And  thanne  with  clooth  of  gold,  and  with  per¬ 
ry  e, 8 

And  gerlandes,  hangynge  with  ful  many  a  flour, 

1  Fathoms  broad.  2  Stretched.  3  Straw.  4  Chestnut.  8  Cornel 
tree.  3  Dwelt.  7  Laid.  8  Precious  stones. 


THE  FUNERAL  FIRE.  I  I  I 

The  mirre,1  thencens,  with  al  so  greet  odour ; 
Ne  how  Arcite  lay  among  al  this, 

Ne  what  richesse  aboute  his  body  is,  2940 
Ne  how  that  Emelye,  as  was  the  gyse, 

Putte  in  the  fyr  of  funeral  servyse, 

Ne  how  she  swowned  whan  men  2  made  fyr, 

Ne  what  she  spak,  ne  what  was  hir  desire, 

Ne  what  jeweles  men  in  the  fyre  caste 
Whan  that  the  fyr  was  greet  and  brente  s  faste ; 
Ne  how  somme  caste  hir  sheeld,  and  somme 
hir  spere,  (2949  T-) 

And  of  hire  vestimentz,  whiche  that  they  were, 
And  coppes  full  of  wyn,  and  milk,  and  blood, 
In  to  the  fyr,  that  brente  as  it  were  wood ;  2950 
Ne  how  the  Grekes,  with  an  huge  route, 

Tries  4  riden  al  the  place  aboute 

Up  on  the  left  hand,  with  a  loud  shoutynge, 

And  thries  with  hir  speres  claterynge, 

And  thries  how  the  ladyes  gonne  crye, 

And  how  that  lad  was  homward  Emelye  ; 

Ne  how  Arcite  is  brent  to  asshen  colde, 

Ne  how  that  lych-wake  6  was  yholde 
Al  thilke  nyght ;  ne  how  the  Grekes  pleye 
The  wake-pleyes ;  ne  kepe  6  I  nat  to  seye  2960 
Who  wrastleth  best  naked,  with  oille  enoynt, 
Ne  who  that  baar  hym  best  in  no  disjoynt.7 
I  wol  nat  tellen  eek  how  that  they  goon 
Hoom  til  Atthenes,  whan  the  pley  is  doon  ; 

1  Myrrh.  2  Camb.  MS.  and  others  read  “she.”  3  Burned. 
4  Thrice.  5  Corpse-vigil.  6  Care.  7  Difficult  situation. 


I  12 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


But  shortly  to  the  point  thanne  wol  I  wende, 
And  maken  of  my  longe  tale  an  ende. 

By  processe  and  by  lengthe  of  certeyn  yeres, 
A1  styntyd  is  the  moornynge  and  the  teres 
Of  Grekes,  by  oon  general  assent. 

Thanne  serned  me  ther  was  a  parlement  2970 
At  Atthenes,  upon  certein  poyntz  and  caas ; 
Among  the  whiche  poyntz  yspoken  was, 

To  have  with  certein  contrees  alliaunce, 

And  have  fully  of  Thebans  obeissaunce. 

For  which  this  noble  Theseus  anon 
Leet  senden  after  gentil  Palamon, 

Unwist  of  hym  what  was  the  cause  and  why  ; 
But  in  hise  blake  clothes  sorwefully 
He  cam  at  his  comandement  in  hye.1 
Tho  sente  Theseus  for  Emelye.  •  2980 

Whan  they  were  set,  and  hust  was  al  the  place, 
And  Theseus  abiden  hadde  a  space 
Er  any  word  cam  fram  his  wise  brest, 

Hise  eyen  sette  he  ther  as  was  hia  lest, 

And  with  a  sad  visage  he  siked  2  still e, 

And  after  that  right  thus  he  seyde  his  wille  : 

“  The  Firste  Moevere  of  the  cause  above,8 
Whan  he  first  made  the  faire  cheyne  of  love, 
Greet  was  theffect  and  heigh  was  his  entente  ; 
Wei  wiste  he  why  and  what  ther  of  he  mente, 
For  with  that  faire  cheyne  of  love  he  bond  2991 
The  fyr,  the  eyr,  the  water  and  the  lond, 

In  certeyn  boundes  that  they  may  nat  flee. 

1  Haste.  2  Sighed.  3  Cf.  Boethius,  De  Consolatiotie,  ii.,  met.  8. 


A  TIME  FOR  ALL  THINGS.  I  1 3 

That  same  Prince,  and  that  Moevere,”  quod  he, 
“  Hath  stablissed  in  this  wrecched  world  adoun 
Certeyne  dayes  and  duracioun 
To  al  that  is  engendrid  in  this  place, 

Over  the  whiche  day  they  may  nat  pace,  — 

Al  mowe  they  yet  tho  dayes  wel  abregge, 

Ther  nedeth  noght  noon  auctoritee  allegge  3000 
For  it  is  preeved  by  experience,  ( 3003  T.) 

But  that  me  list  declaren  my  sentence.1 
Thanne  may  men  by  this  ordre  wel  discerne 
That  thilke  Moevere  stable  is  and  eterne. 

Wel  may  men  knowe,  but  it  be  a  fool, 

That  every  part  dirryveth  from  his  hool ; 

For  nature  hath  taken  his  bigynnyng 
Of  no  partie  or  of  cantel 2  of  a  thyng, 

But  of  a  thyng  that  parfit  is  and  stable, 
Descendynge  so,  til  it  be  corrumpable.  3010 
And  therfore  of  his  wise  purveiaunce 
He  hath  so  wel  biset  his  ordinaunce, 

That  speces  of  thynges  and  progressiouns 
Shullen  enduren  by  successiouns, 

And  nat  eterne,  with  outen  any  lye ; 

This  maystow  understonde,  and  seen  at 3  eye. 

“  Loo  the  00k,  that  hath  so  long  a  norisshynge 
From  tyme  that  it  first  bigynneth  sprynge, 

And  hath  so  long  a  lif  as  we  may  see, 

Yet  at  the  laste  wasted  is  the  tree.  3020 

“  Considereth  eek  how  that  the  harde  stoon 
Under  oure  feet,  on  which  we  trede  and  goon, 

1  Opinion.  2  Fragment.  8  Elies.  MS.  has  “it.” 

VOL.  I.  8 


ii4 


THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 


Yit  wasteth  it  as  it  lyth  by  the  weye  ; 

The  brode  ryver  somtyme  wexeth  dreye ; 

The  grete  toures  se  we  wane  and  wende ; 1 
Thanne  may  ye  se  that  al  this  thyng  hath  ende. 

“  Of  man  and  womman  seen  we  wel  also, 
That  nedeth  in  oon  of  thise  termes  two, 

This  is  to  seyn,  in  youthe  or  elles  age,  3029 
He  moot  be  deed,  the  kyng  as  shal  a  page  ; 
Som  in  his  bed,  som  in  the  depe  see, 

Som  in  the  large  feeld,  as  men  may  se  ; 

Ther  helpeth  noght,  al  goth  that  ilke  weye  : 
Thanne  may  I  seyn  al  this  thyng  moot  deye. 

“What  maketh  this  but  Juppiter,  the  kyng, 
That  is  prince,  and  cause  of  alle  thyng, 
Convertynge  al  un-to  his  propre  welle,2 
From  which  it  is  dirryved,  sooth  to  telle  ? 

And  here  agayns  3  no  creature  on  lyve, 

Of  no  degree,  availleth  for  to  stryve.  3040 
“  Thanne  is  it  wysdom,  as  it  thynketh  me, 

To  maken  vertu  of  necessitee, 

And  take  it  weel  that  we  may  not  eschue 
And  namely  that  to  us  alle  is  due. 

And  who  so  gruccheth  ought,  he  dooth  folye, 
And  rebel  is  to  hym  that  al  may  gye ; 4 
And  certeinly  a  man  hath  moost  honour, 

To  dyen  in  his  excellence  and  flour,  (3050  T.) 
Whan  he  is  siker  5  of  his  goode  name. 

Thanne  hath  he  doon  his  freend  ne  hym  no 
shame,  3°5° 

1  Pass  away.  2  Source,  3  Against.  4  Guide.  3  Secure. 


DEATH  IN  PROSPERITY.  I  I  5 

And  gladder  oghte  his  freend  been  of  his  deeth, 
Whan  with  honour  up  yolden  1  is  his  breeth, 
Than  whan  his  name  apalled2  is  for  age, 

For  al  forgeten  is  his  vassellage.3 
Thanne  is  it  best,  as  for  a  worthy  fame, 

To  dyen  whan  that  he  is  best  of  name. 

“  The  contrarie  of  al  this  is  wilfulnesse. 

Why  grucchen  we,  why  have  we  hevynesse 
That  goode  Arcite,  of  chivalrie  flour, 

Departed  is  with  duetee  and  honour  3060 
Out  of  this  foule  prisoun  of  this  lyf  ? 

Why  grucchen  heere  his  cosyn  and  his  wyf 
Of  his  wel  fare  that  loved  hem  so  weel  ? 

Kan  he  hem  thank  —  Nay,  God  woot,  never  a 
deel  — 

That  bothe  his  soule  and  eek  hem  self  offende, 
And  yet  they  inowe  hir  lustes  nat  amende  ? 

“  What  may  I  concluden  of  this  longe  serye, 
But  after  wo,  I  rede  4  us  to  be  merye, 

And  thanken  Juppiter  of  al  his  grace  ? 

And  er  that  we  departen  from  this  place  3070 
I  rede  that  we  make  of  sorwes  two 
O  5  parfit  joye,  lastynge  everemo. 

And  looketh  now,  wher  moost  sorwe  is  her-inne, 
Ther  wol  we  first  amenden  and  bigynne.” 

“  Suster,”  quod  he,  “  this  is  my  fulle  assent, 
With  all  thavys  heere  of  my  parlement, 

That  gentil  Palamon,  thyn  owene  knyght, 

That  serveth  yow  with  wille,  herte,  and  myght, 

1  Yielded.  2  Enfeebled.  3  Valor.  4  Advise.  0  One. 


Il6  THE  KNIGHT’S  TALE. 

And  evere  hath  doon,  syn  that  ye  first  hym 
knewe,  3079 

That  ye  shul  of  your  grace  up-on  hym  rewe, 
And  taken  hym  for  housbonde  and  for  lord  ; 
Lene 1  me  youre  hond,  for  this  is  oure  accord. 
Lat  se  now  of  youre  wommanly  pitee  ; 

He  is  a  kynges  brother,  sone,  pardee , 

And  though  he  were  a  povre  bacheler, 

Syn  he  hath  served  yow  so  many  a  yeer 
And  had  for  yow  so  greet  adversitee, 

It  moste  been  considered,  leeveth  2  me, 

For  gentil  mercy  oghte  to  passen •right.”  8 
Thanne  seyde  he  thus  to  Palamon  ful  right : 
“I  trowe  ther  nedeth  litel  sermonyng  3091 
To  make  yow  assente  to  this  thyng ; 

Com  neer,  and  taak  youre  lady  by  the  hond.” 
Bitwixen  hem  was  maad  anon  the  bond 
That  highte  matrimoigne,  or  mariage, 

By  al  the  conseil  and  the  baronage  ; 

And  thus  with  alle  blisse  and  melodye 
Hath  Palamon  y wedded  Emelye, 

And  God,  that  al  this  wyde  world  hath  wroght, 
Sende  hym  his  love  that  it  deere  aboght,  3100 
For  now  is  Palamon  in  alle  wele,4 
Lyvynge  in  blisse,  in  richesse,  and  in  heele  ; 
And  Emelye  hym  loveth  so  tendrely, 

And  he  hire  serveth  so  gentilly, 

That  nevere  was  ther  no  word  hem  bitwene 
Of  jalousie  or  any  oother  tene.6 

1  Give.  2  Believe.  3  Surpass  mere  justice.  4  Weal.  6  Grievance. 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST  AND  MILLER.  I  1 7 

Thus  endeth  Palamon  and  Emelye,  (3109  t.) 
And  God  save  al  this  faire  compaignye.  Amen. 

Heere  folwen  the  worries  bitwene  the  Hoost  and 
the  Millere. 

Whan  that  the  Knyght  had  thus  his  tale 
ytoold, 

In  al  the  route  ne  was  they  yong  ne  oold  3110 
That  he  ne  seyde  it  was  a  noble  storie, 

And  worthy  for  to  drawen  to  memorie, 

And  namely  1  the  gentils  everichon. 

Oure  Hooste  lough  and  swoor,  “  So  moot  I 
gon, 

This  gooth  aright;  unbokeled  is  the  male;2 
Lat  se  now  who  shal  telle  another  tale, 

For  trewely  the  game  is  wel  bigonne. 

Now  telleth  on,  sire  Monk,  if  that  ye  konne 
Sumwhat  to  quite  3  with  the  Knyghtes  tale.” 

The  Millere,  that  for-dronken  was  al  pale, 

So  that  unnethe 4  up  on  his  hors  he  sat,  3121 
He  nolde  avalen  5  neither  hood  ne  hat, 

Ne  abyde  no  man  for  his  curteisie, 

But  in  Pilates  voys  6  he  gan  to  crie, 

And  swoor  by  armes,  and  by  blood  and  bones, 

“  I  kan  a  noble  tale  for  the  nones,  (3128  t.) 
With  which  I  wol  now  quite  the  Knyghtes  tale.” 
Oure  Hooste  saugh  that  he  was  dronke  of  ale, 

Especially.  2  Budget.  3  Offset.  4  Scarcely.  0  Doff.  6  As 
Pilate  spoke  in  the  Mystery  Plays. 


I  I  8  “this  dronke  millere.  ” 

And  seyde,  “  Abyd,  Robyn,  my  leeve  brother, 
Som  bettre  man  shal  telle  us  first  another; 
Abyde,  and  lat  us  werken  thriftily.”  3131 

“  By  Goddes  soule,”  quod  he,  “  that  wol  nat  I, 
For  I  wol  speke,  or  elles  go  my  wey.” 

Oure  Hoost  answerde,  “  Tel  on  a  devele  wey  ! 
Thou  art  a  fool,  thy  wit  is  overcome.” 

“Now  herkneth,”  quod  the  Millere,  “  alle 
and  some ; 

But  first  I  make  a  protestacioun 

That  I  am  dronke,  I  knowe  it  by  my  soun, 

And  therfore  if  that  I  mysspeke  or  seye, 

Wyte  it 1  the  ale  of  Southwerk,  I  you  preye  ; 
For  I  wol  telle  a  legende  and  a  lyf,  3141 

Bothe  of  a  carpenter  and  of  his  wyf, 

How  that  a  clerk  hath  set  the  wrightes  cappe.”  2 
The  Reve  answerde  and  seyde,  “  Stynt  thy 
clappe  ! 

Lat  be  thy  lewed,  dronken  harlotrye  ; 

It  is  a  synne,  and  eek  a  greet  folye 
To  apeyren  3  any  man,  or  hym  defame,  (3149  T.) 
And  eek  to  bryngen  wyves  in  swich  fame ; 

Thou  mayst  ynogh  of  othere  thynges  seyn.” 

This  dronke  Millere  spak  ful  soone  ageyn 
And  seyde,  “  Leve  4  brother  Osewold,  3151 
Who  hath  no  wyf  he  is  no  cokewold, 

But  I  sey  nat  therfore  that  thou  art  oon, 

Ther  been  ful  goode  wyves  many  oon,  (3156  T.) 
And  evere  a  thousand  goode-  ageyns  oon  badde  ; 

1  Attribute  it  to.  2  Befooled  him.  Cf.  1.  586.  3  Injure.  4  Loved. 


THE  REA-DER’S  ALTERNATIVE.  II9 

That  knowestow  wel  thy  self,  but  if  thou 
madde.1 

Why  artow  angry  with  my  tale  now  ? 

I  have  a  wyf  pardee ,  as  wel  as  thow, 

Yet  nolde  I,  for  the  oxen  in  my  plogh, 

Taken  up-on  me  rnoore  than  ynogh  ;  3160 

As  demen  of  my-self  that  I  were  oon, 

I  wol  bileve  wel  that  I  am  noon. 

An  housbonde  shal  nat  been  inquisityf 
Of  Goddes  pryvetee,  nor  of  his  wyf ; 

So  he  may  fynde  Goddes  foysoun 2  there, 

Of  the  remenant  nedeth  nat  enquere.”  (3166  T.) 

What  sholde  I  rnoore  seyn,  but  this  Millere 
He  nolde  his  wordes  for  no  man  forbere, 

But  told  his  cherles  tale  in  his  manere. 
Mathynketh  that  I  shal  reherce  it  heere,  3170 
And  ther-fore  every  gentil  wight  I  preye, 

For  Goddes  love,  demeth  3  nat  that  I  seye 
Of  yvel  entente,  but  that  I  moot  reherce 
Hir  tales  alle,  be  they  bettre  or  werse, 

Or  elles  falsen  som  of  my  mateere  ; 

And  therfore,  who  so  list  it  nat  yheere, 

Turne  over  the  leef  and  chese  another  tale  ; 

For  he  shal  fynde  ynowe,  grete  and  smale, 

Of  storial  thyng  that  toucheth  gentillesse, 

And  eek  moralitee,  and  hoolynesse,  —  3180 

Blameth  nat  me  if  that  ye  chese  amys. 

The  Millere  is  a  cherl,  ye  knowe  wel  this, 

1  Maddest.  2  Abundance.  8  Judge. 


120 


THE  MILLERS  TALE. 


So  was  the  Reve,  and  othere  manye  mo, 

And  harlotrie  1  they  tolden  bothe  two. 

Avyseth  yow,  puttethme  out  of  blame,  (3185  t.) 
And  eek  men  shal  nat  maken  ernest  of  game. 


Heere  bigynneth  The  Millere  his  Tale. 

Whilom  ther  was  dwellynge  at  Oxenford 
A  riche  gnof,2  that  gestes  heeld  to  bord, 

And  of  his  craft  he  was  a  carpenter.  (3189  t.) 
With  hym  ther  was  dwellynge  a  povre  scoler 
Hadde  lerned  art,  but  al  his  fantasye  3I9I 
Was  turned  for  to  lerne  astrologye, 

And  koude  a  certeyn  of 3  conclusiouns, 

To  demen  4  by  interrogaciouns, 

If  that  men  asked  hym  in  certein  houres 
Whan  that  men  sholde  have  droghte  or  elles 
shoures, 

Or  if  men  asked  hym  what  sholde  bifalle 
Of  every  thyng,  I  may  nat  rekene  hem  alle. 

This  clerk  was  cleped  hende  5  Nicholas. 

Of  deerne  6  love  he  koude,7  and  of  solas,8  3200 
And  ther-to  he  was  sleigh  and  ful  privee, 

And  lyk  a  mayden  meke  for  to  see. 

A  chambre  hadde  he  in  that  hostelrye 
Allone,  with-outen  any  compaignye, 

Ful  fetisly  ydight,9  with  herbes  swoote, 

And  he  hym  self  as  sweete  as  is  the  roote 

1  Ribaldry.  2  Churl.  3  Knew  certain.  4  Judge.  3  Civil. 
6  Secret.  7  Knew.  8  Sport.  8  Neatly  adorned. 


THE  CARPENTER’S  NEW  WIFE.  1 21 

Of  lycorys,  or  any  cetewale.1 

His  Almageste,2  and  bookes  grete  and  smale, 

His  astrelabie,  longynge  for  3  his  art, 

His  augrym  stones,4  layen  faire  a  part,  3210 
On  shelves  couched  at  his  beddes  heed, 

His  presse  ycovered  with  a  faldyng  5  reed, 

And  all  above  ther  lay  a  gay  sautrie, 

On  which  he  made  a-nyghtes  melodie 
So  swetely,  that  al  the  chambre  rong, 

And  Angelus  ad  Virginem ,6  he  song  ; 

And  after  that  he  song  the  “  kynges  noote  ;  ” 
Ful  often  blessed  was  his  myrie  throte, 

And  thus  this  sweete  clerk  his  tyme  spente 
After  his  freendes  fyndyng  and  his  rente.  3220 
This  carpenter  hadde  wedded  newe  a  wyf, 
Which  that  he  lovede  moore  than  his  lyf  ; 

Of  eighteteene  yeer  she  was  of  age. 

Jalous  he  was,  and  heeld  hire  narwe  in  cage, 
For  she  was  yong  and  wylde,  and  he  was  old, 
And  demed  hym  self  been  lik  a  cokewold. 

He  knew  nat  Catoun,  for  his  wit  was  rude,  — 
That  bad  man  sholde  wedde  his  simylitude. 
Men  sholde  wedden  after  hire  estaat, 

For  youthe  and  elde  is  often  at  debaat ;  3230 

But  sith  that  he  was  fallen  in  the  snare, 

He  moste  endure,  as  oother  folk,  his  care. 

Fair  was  this  yonge  wyf,  and  ther  with  al, 

As  any  wezele,  hir  body  gent7  and  smal. 

1  Valerian.  2  A  work  of  Ptolemy.  8  Belonging  to.  4  Counters, 
8  Cf.  1  391.  0  Probably  a  metrical  hymn  (The  Angel  to  the  Virgin). 
f  Pretty. 


122 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


A  ceynt 1  she  werecle,  ybarred  al  of  silk  ; 

A  barmclooth  2  eek  as  whit  as  morne  milk 
Up-on  hir  lendes,3  ful  of  many  a  goore  ; 

Whit  was  hir  smok,  and  broyden  al  bifoore, 
And  eek  bihynde,  on  hir  coler  aboute, 

Of  colblak  silk  with-inne  and  eek  with-oute. 
The  tapes 4  of  hir  white  voluper5  3241 

Were  of  the  same  suyte  of  hir  coler  ; 

Hir  filet  brood,  of  silk  and  set  ful  hye  ; 

And  sikerly  she  hadde  a  likerous  eye. 

Ful  smale  ypulled  were  hire  browes  two, 

And  tho  were  bent,  and  blake  as  any  sloo. 

She  was  ful  moore  blisful  on  to  see 
Than  is  the  newe  pereionette  6  tree, 

And  softer  than  the  wolle  is  of  a  wether  ; 

And  by  hir  girdel  heeng  a  purs  of  lether,  3250 
Tasseled  with  grene  and  perled  with  latoun.7 
In  al  this  world,  to  seken  up  and  doun, 

There  nas  no  man  so  wys  that  koude  thenche 8 
So  gay- a  popelote,9  or  swich  a  wenche. 

Ful  brighter  was  the  shynyng  of  hir  hewe 
Than  in  the  Tour  the  noble  10  yforged  newe. 

But  of  hir  song  it  was  as  loude  and  yerne  11 
As  any  swalwe  sittynge  on  a  berne. 

Ther  to  she  koude  skippe  and  make  game, 

As  any  kyde,  or  calf,  folwynge  his  dame.  3260 
Hir  mouth  was  sweete  as  bragot12  or  the  meeth,12 
Or  hoord  of  apples  leyd  in  hey  or  heeth. 

1  Girdle.  2  Skirt.  3  Loins.  4  Bands.  5  Cap.  6  Pear.  7  Adorned 
with  brass  knobs.  8  Imagine.  8  Puppet.  10  A  coin.  11  Brisk. 
12  Drinks. 


THE  CARPENTER’S  NEW  WIFE.  1 23 

Wynsynge 1  she  was,  as  is  a  joly  colt ; 

Long  as  a  mast  and  uprighte  as  a  bolt. 

A  brooch  sche  baar  up-on  hir  love  coler,2 
As  brood  as  is  the  boos  of  a  bokeler  ; 

Hir  shoes  were  laced  on  hir  legges  hye ; 

She  was  a  prymerole,3  a  piggesnye4 
For  any  lord  to  leggen  in  his  bedde, 

Or  yet  for  any  good  yeman  to  wedde.  3270 
Now,  sire,  and  eft,5  sire,  so  bifel  the  cas, 
That  on  a  day  this  hende  Nicholas, 

Fil  with  this  yonge  wyf  to  rage  and  pleye 
VVhil  that  hir  housbonde  was  at  Oseneye,6 
As  clerkes  ben  ful  subtile  and  ful  queynte, 

And  prively  he  caughte  hire  by  the  queynte,7 
And  seyde,  ywis,  “But  if  ich  have  my  wille, 

For  deerne  love  of  thee,  lemman,8  I  spille  ;  ”9 
And  heeld  hire  harde  by  the  haunche  bones, 
And  seyde,  “Lemman,  love  me  al  atones,  3280 
Or  I  wol  dyen,  also  God  me  save  !  ” 

And  she  sproong,  as  a  colt  doth  in  the  trave,10 
And  with  hir  heed  sche  wryed  11  faste  awey, 
And  seyde,  “  I  wol  nat  kisse  thee,  by  my  fey ! 
Why,  lat  be  !  ”  quod  she,12  “lat  be,  Nicholas  ! 
Or  I  wol  crie  out,  ‘  Harrow,’  and  ‘  Allas  !  ’ 

Do  wey  youre  handes,  for  your  curteisye  !  ” 
This  Nicholas  gan  mercy  for  to  crye, 

And  spak  so  faire,  and  profred  hire  so  faste, 

1  Lively.  2  Collar.  3  Primrose.  4  Pig’s-eye,  a  term  of  endear¬ 
ment,  —  perhaps  a  flower.  5  Soon.  6  An  abbey  near  Oxford. 
7  Pudenda  muliebra.  8  Love.  0  Perish.  10  Travis.  11  Turned. 
12  Elies.  MS.  has  “ich.” 


124 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


That  she  hir  love  hym  graunted  atte  laste,  3290 
And  swoor  hir  ooth,  by  Seint  Thomas  of  Kent, 
That  she  wol  been  at  his  comandement 
Whan  that  she  may  hir  leyser  wel  espie. 

“  Myn  housbonde  is  so  ful  of  jalousie, 

That  but  ye  wayte  wel  and  been  privee, 

I  woot  right  wel  I  nam  but  deed,”  quod  she  ; 
“Ye  moste  been  ful  deerne,1  as  in  this  cas.” 

“  Nay,  ther-of  care  thee  noght,”  quod  Nich¬ 
olas. 

“  A  clerk  hadde  litherly  biset 2  his  whyle 
But  if  he  koude  a  carpenter  bigyle.”  3300 
And  thus  they  been  accorded  and  ysworn 
To  wayte  a  tyme,  as  I  have  told  biforn. 

Whan  Nicholas  had  doon  thus  everideel, 

And  thakked 3  hire  aboute  the  lendes  weel, 

He  kist  hire  sweete,  and  taketh  his  sawtrie, 
And  pleyeth.  faste,  and  maketh  melodie. 

Thanne  fil  it  thus,  that  to  the  paryssh  chirche, 
Christes  owene  werkes  for  to  wirche,4 
This  goode  wyf  went  on  an  haliday ; 

Hir  forheed  shoon  as  bright  as  any  day,  3310 
So  was  it  wasshen  whan  she  leet 5  hir  werk. 

Now  was  ther  of  that  chirche  a  parissh  clerk, 
The  which  that  was  ycleped  Absolon  ; 

Crul 6  was  his  heer  and  as  the  gold  it  shoon, 
And  strouted  7  as  a  fanne,  large  and  brode, 

Ful  streight  and  evene  lay  his  joly  shode.8 

1  Secret.  2  Lazily  occupied.  3  Slapped.  4  Work.  6  Stopped. 
0  Curled.  7  Expanded.  8  Handsome  hair. 


NICHOLAS  ' AND  ABSOLON.  I  25 

His  rode  1  was  reed,  hise  eyen  greye  as  goos ; 
With  Powles  wyndow  corven  on  llis  shoos, 

In  hosen  rede  he  wente  fetisly.2 

Yclad  he  was  ful  smal  and  proprely,  3320 

A1  in  a  kirtel  of  a  lyght  waget,3 

Ful  faire  and  thikke  been  the  poyntes  set ; 

And  ther  up-on  he  hadde  a  gay  surplys, 

As  whit  as  is  the  blosme  up-on  the  rys.4 
A  myrie  child  he  was,  so  God  me  save, 

Wei  koude  he  laten  blood  and  clippe  and  shave 
And  maken  a  chartre  of  lond  or  acquitaunce. 
In  twenty  manere  koude  he  trippe  and  daunce 
(After  the  scole  of  Oxenforde  tho), 

And  with  his  legges  casten  to  and  fro,  3330 
And  pleyen  songes  on  a  small  rubible  ; 6 
*  Ther-to  he  song  som  tyme  a  loud  quynyble,6 
And  as  wel  koude  he  pleye  on  his  giterne. 

In  al  the  toun  nas  brewhous  ne  taverne 
That  he  ne  visited  with  his  solas, 

Ther  any  gaylard  tappestere  7  was  ; 

But,  sooth  to  seyn,  he  was  somdel  squaymous  8 
Of  fartyng,  and  of  speche  daungerous.9 

This  Absolon,  that  jolif  was  and  gay, 

Gooth  with  a  sencer  on  the  haliday,  334° 
Sensynge  the  wyves  of  the  parisshe  faste, 

And  many  a  lovely  look  on  hem  he  caste, 

And  namely  on  this  carpenteris  wyf. 

To  loke  on  hire  hym  thoughte  a  myrie  lyf, 

1  Complexion.  2  Neatly.  3  Blue  cloth.  4  Twig.  5  A  stringed 
instrument.  0  A  part  a  fifth  above  the  air.  7  Gay  bar-woman. 

8  Scrupulous.  9  Haughty. 


12  6 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


She  was  so  propre,  and  sweete,  and  likerous. 

I  dar  wel  seyn  if  she  hadde  been  a  mous, 

And  he  a  cat,  he  wold  hire  hente  1  anon. 

This  parissh  clerk,  this  joly  Absolon, 

Hath  in  his  herte  swich  a  love  lorfgynge, 

That  of  no  wyf  took  he  noon  offrynge,  3350 
For  curteisie,  he  seyde,  he  wolde  noon. 

The  moone,  whan  it  was  nyght,  ful  brighte 
shoon, 

And  Absolon  his  gyterne  hath  ytake, 

For  paramours  he  thoghte  for  to  wake ; 

And  forth  he  gooth,  jolif  and  amorous, 

Til  he  cam  to  the  carpenteres  hous 
A  litel  after  cokkes  hadde  ycrowe, 

And  dressed  hym  up  by  a  shotwyndowe  2 
That  was  up  on  the  carpenteris  wal. 

He  syngeth  in  his  voys  gentil  and  smal  :  3360 

“  Now,  deere  lady ,  if  thy  wille  be, 

I  pray  yow  that  ye  wole  thynke  on  me," 

Ful  wel  acordaunt  to  his  gyternynge. 

This  carpenter  awook,  and  herde  synge, 

And  spak  un-to  his  wyf,  and  seyde  anon, 
“What,  Alison,  herestow  nat  Absolon 
That  chaunteth  thus  under  oure  boures 3  wal  ?  ” 
And  she  answerde  hir  housbonde  ther  with  al, 

“  Yis,  God  woot,  John,  I  heere  it  every  del.” 
This  passeth  forth  ;  what  wol  ye  bet 4  than 
weel  ?  337° 

Fro  day  to  day  this  joly  Absolon 


1  Seize.  2  A  bow  window.  3  Chamber’s.  4  Better. 


u  BLOW  THE  BUKKES  HORN.”  12/ 

So  woweth  1  hire  that  hym  is  wo  bigon  ; 

He  waketh  al  the  nyght  and  al  the  day, 

He  kembeth  hise  lokkes  brode,  and  made  hym 

ga  y, 

He  woweth  hire  by  meenes  2  and  brocage,3 
And  swoor  he  wolde  been  hir  owene  page  ; 

He  syngeth,  brokkynge  4  as  a  nyghtyngale  ; 

He  sente  hire  pyment,5  meeth,6  and  spiced  ale, 
And  wafres  pipyng  hoot,  out  of  the  gleede,7 
And  for  she  was  of  toune  8  he  profreth  meede  ; 9 
For  som  folk  wol  ben  wonnen  for  richesse, 

And  som  me  for  strokes,  and  sonune  for  gen- 
tillesse.  3382 

Somtyme  to  shewe  his  lightnesse  and  mais- 
trye 

He  pleyeth  Herodes,  up-on  a  scaffold  hye,10 
But  what  availleth  hym,  as  in  this  cas  ? 

She  loveth  so  this  hende  Nicholas, 

That  Absolon  may  “  blowe  the  bukkes  horn,”  11 
He  ne  hadde  for  his  labour  but  a  scorn, 

And  thus  she  maketh  Absolon  hire  ape 
And  al  his  ernest  turneth  til  a  jape.  339° 

Ful  sooth  is  this  proverbe,  it  is  no  lye, 

Men  seyn  right  thus,  “  Alwey  the  nye  slye 
Maketh  the  ferre  leeve  12  to  be  looth  ;  ” 

For  though  that  Absolon  be  wood  or  wrooth, 
By  cause  that  he  fer  was  from  hire  sighte, 

This  nye  Nicholas  stood  in  his  lighte. 

1  Wooeth.  2  Agents.  8  Mediation.  4  Quavering.  5  Wine  and 
honey.  0  Mead.  7  Coals.  8  City.  9  Reward.  10  In  a 
Mystery  Play.  11  Cf.  1.  1838.  12  More  distant  lover. 


128 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


Now  bere  thee  wel,  thou  hende  Nicholas, 

For  Absolon  may  waille  and  synge,  alias  ! 

And  so  bifel  it  on  a  Saterday 

This  carpenter  was  goon  til  Osenay,  34°° 

And  hende  Nicholas  and  Alisoun 

Acorded  been  to  this  conclusioun, 

That  Nicholas  shal  shapen  hym  a  wyle 
This  sely,1  jalous  housbonde  to  bigyle ; 

And,  if  so  be  the  game  wente  aright, 

She  sholde  slepen  in  his  arm  al  nyght, 

For  this  was  his  desir  and  hire  also. 

And  right  anon,  with-outen  wordes  mo, 

This  Nicholas  no  lenger  wolde  tarie,  34°9 
But  dooth  ful  softe  un-to  his  chambre  carie 
Bothe  mete  and  drynke  for  a  day  or  tweye  ; 
And  to  hire  housbonde  bad  hire  for  to  seye, 

If  that  he  axed  after  Nicholas, 

She  sholde  seye  she  nyste  where  he  was  ; 

Of  al  that  day  she  saugh  hym  nat  with  eye  ; 
She  trowed  that  he  was  in  maladye, 

For  for  no  cry  hir  mayde  koude  hym  calle, 

He  nolde  answere  for  thyng  that  myghte  falle. 
This  passeth  forth  al  thilke  Saterday 
That  Nicholas  stille  in  his  chambre  lay  3420 
And  eet  and  sleepe,  or  dide  what  hym  leste, 

Til  Sonday  that  the  sonne  gooth  to  reste. 

This  sely  carpenter  hath  greet  merveyle 
Of  Nicholas,  or  what  thyng  myghte  hym  eyle, 
And  seyde,  “  I  am  a  adrad,2  by  Seint  Thomas, 


1  Innocent. 


2  Afraid. 


HELP  US,  SEINTE  FRYDESWYDE  ! 


129 


ff 


It  stondeth  nat  aright  with  Nicholas. 

(God  shilde  that  he  deyde  sodeynly ; 

This  world  is  now  ful  tikel 1  sikerly  ; 2 
I  saugh  to  day  a  cors  yborn  to  chirche,  3429 
That  now  on  Monday  last  I  saugh  hym  wirche.) 

“  Go  up,”  quod  he  un-to  his  knave  anoon, 

“  Clepe  at  his  dore  or  knokke  with  a  stoon, 
Looke  how  it  is  and  tel  me  boldely.” 

This  knave  gooth  him  up  ful  sturdily 
And  at  the  chambre  dore  whil  that  he  stood, 
He  cride  and  knokked  as  that  he  were  wood,  — 
“  What !  how  !  what  do  ye,  maister  Nicholay  ? 
How  may  ye  slepen  al  the  longe  day  ?  ” 

But  al  for  noght,  he  herde  nat  a  word. 

An  hole  he  foond  ful  lowe  up-on  a  bord,  3440 
Ther  as  the  cat  was  wont  in  for  to  crepe, 

And  at  that  hole  he  looked  in  ful  depe, 

And  at  the  laste  he  hadde  of  hym  a  sighte. 

This  Nicholas  sat  gapyng3  evere  up-righte, 

As  he  had  hiked  4  on  the  newe  moone. 

Adoun  he  gooth  and  tolde  his  maister  soone 
In  what  array  he  saugh  that  ilke  man. 

This  carpenter  to  blessen  hym  bigan, 

And  seyde,  “  Help  us,  Seinte  Frydeswyde  ! 

A  man  woot  litel  what  hym  shal  bityde  ;  3450 
This  man  is  falle  with  his  astromye 
In  som  woodnesse,6  or  in  som  agonye. 

I  thoghte  ay  wel  how  that  it  sholde  be, 

1  Uncertain.  2  Surely.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “  capyng.”  4  Corpus 
MS.,  and  others,  have  “  keked,”  retched.  6  Madness. 

VOL.  I.  9 


130 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


Men  sholde  nat  knowe  of  Goddes  pryvetee. 

Ye,  blessed  be  alwey  a  lewed  man, 

That  noght  but  oonly  his  bileve  kan.1 
So  ferde  2  another  clerk  with  astromye  ; 

He  walked  in  the  feeldes,  for  to  prye 
Up-on  the  sterres,  what  ther  sholde  bifalle, 

Til  he  was  in  a  marleput 3  yfalle  ;  3460 

He  saugh  nat  that.  But  yet  by  Seint  Thomas, 
Me  reweth  soore  of  hende  Nicholas  ! 

He  shal  be  rated  of  his  studiyng, 

If  that  I  may,  by  Jhesus,  hevene  kyng ! 

“  Get  me  a  staf,  that  I  may  underspore,4 
Whil  that  thou,  Robyn,  hevest  of  the  dore  : 

He  shal  out  of  his  studiyng,  as  I  gesse.” 

And  to  the  chambre  dore  he  gan  hym  dresse ; 
His  knave  was  a  strong  carl,  for  the  noones, 
And  by  the  haspe  he  haaf  5  it  of  atones,  3470 
In  to  the  floor  the  dore  fil  anon. 

This  Nicholas  sat  ay  as  stille  as  stoon, 

And  evere  gaped 6  upward  in-to  the  eir. 

This  carpenter  wende  he  were  in  despeir, 

And  hente  hym  by  the  sholdres  myghtily 
And  shook  hym  harde  and  cride  spitously,7 
“  What,  Nicholay !  what  how !  what,  looke 
adoun  ! 

Awake  !  and  thenk  on  Cristes  passioun  ! 

I  crouche  8  thee  from  elves  and  fro  wightes.” 
Ther-with  the  nyghtspel 9  seyde  he  anonrightes, 

1  Creed  knows.  2  Fared.  (It  was  Thales. )  8  Marl  pit. 

4  Spere  under.  6  Heaved.  6  Elies.  MS.  has“caped.”  7  Angrily 
8  Cross.  0  An  exorcism. 


“the  white  paternoster.”  13 1 

O11  foure  halves  of  the  hous  aboute,  3481 
And  on  the  thresshfold  of  the  dore  with-oute  : 
“  y/iesu  Crist  and  Seint  Benedight ,* 

Blesse  this  hous  frotn  every  wikked  wight 
For  nyghtes  verye  —  the  white  Pater  nos  ter} 
Where  wentestow ,  Seint  Petres  soster  ?  ” 

And  atte  laste  this  hende  Nicholas 
Gan  for  to  sike  soore,  and  seyde,  “  Allas  ! 

Shal  al  this  world  be  lost  eftsoones  now?” 

This  carpenter  answerde,  “  What  seystow  ? 
What,  thynk  on  God,  as  we  doon,  men  that 
swynke.”  8  349 1 

This  Nicholas  answerde,  “  Fecche  me  drynke ; 
And  after  wol  I  speke  in  pryvetee 
Of  certeyn  thyng  that  toucheth  me  and  thee  ; 

I  wol  telle  it  noon  oother  man  certeyn.” 

This  carpenter  goth  doun  and  comth  ageyn, 
And  broghte  of  myghty  ale  a  large  quart, 

And  whan  that  ech  of  hem  had  dronke  his  part, 
This  Nicholas  his  dore  faste  shette 
And  doun  the  carpenter  by  hym  he  sette.  3500 
He  seyde,  “John,  myn  hooste,  lief  and  deere, 

1  This  charm  is  hopelessly  corrupted.  It  may  be  considered  a  col¬ 
lection  of  unmeaning  sounds. 

2  Every  tenth  bead  on  the  rosary  is  called  a  Pater  Noster.  The 
charm  in  the  text  is  similar  to  the  following,  quoted  in  the  A  tlantic 
Monthly ,  vol.  v.,  p.  437,  said  to  date  from  the  time  of  Mary  Tudor  : 

THE  WHITE  PATER  NOSTER. 

White  Pater  Noster,  St.  Peter’s  brother, 

What  hast  thou  in  one  hand  ?  White-Book  Leaves. 

What  hast  i’  th’  t’other  ?  Heaven  Gate  Keys. 

Open  Heaven  Gates,  and  steike  (shut)  Hell  Gates, 

And  let  every  crysorn  Child  creep  to  its  own  mother: 
White  Pater  Noster,  Amen ! 

s  Work. 


132 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


Thou  shalt  up-on  thy  trouthe  swere  me  heere 
That  to  no  wight  thou  shalt  this  conseil  wreye,1 
For  it  is  Cristes  conseil  that  I  seye ; 

And  if  thou  telle  man  thou  art  forlore,2 
For  this  vengaunce  thou  shalt  han  therfore 
That  if  thou  wreye  me  thou  shalt  be  wood.”  3 
“  Nay,  Crist  forbede  it  for  his  hooly  blood,” 
Quod  tho  this  sely  4  man,  “  I  nam  no  labbe,6 
Ne,  though  I  seye,  I  am  nat  lief 6  to  gabbe  ; 
Sey  what  thou  wolt,  I  sha'l  it  nevere  telle 
To  child  ne  wyf,  by  hym  that  harwed  helle  !  ” 7 
“  Now,  John,”  quod  Nicholas,  “  I  wol  nat 

tye,  3SI3 

I  have  yfounde  in  myn  astrologye, 

As  I  have  looked  in  the  moone  bright, 

That  now  a  Monday  next,  at  quarter  nyght, 
Shal  falle  a  reyn,  and  that  so  wilde  and  wood, 
That  half  so  greet  was  nevere  Noees  flood. 

This  world,”  he  seyde,  “in  lasse  than  an  hour 
Shal  al  be  dreynt,8  so  hidous  is  the  shour  ;  3520 
Thus  schal  mankynde  drench e,  and  lese  hir 
lyf.” 

This  carpenter  answerde,  “  Allas,  my  wyf  ! 
And  shal  she  drenche  ?  Allas,  myn  Alisoun  !  ” 
For  sorwe  of  this  he  fil  almoost  adoun 
And  seyde,  “  Is  ther  no  remedie  in  this  cas  ?  ” 

“  Why,  yis,  for  Gode,”  quod  hende  Nicholas, 
“  If  thou  wolt  werken  aftir  loore  and  reed ; 9 

1  Betray.  2  Fully  lost.  3  Mad.  4  Simple.  5  Blab.  6  Do 
cot  love.  7  Christ,  who  “  descended  into  hell,”  and  subdued  it. 
8  Drowned.  0  Lore  and  counsel. 


“A  KNEDYNG  TROGH.”  1 33 

Thou  mayst  nat  werken  after  thyn  owene  heed, 
For  thus  seith  Salomoun,  that  was  ful  trewe, 

‘  Werk  al  by  conseil  and  thou  shalt  nat  rewe  ;  ’ 
And  if  thou  werken  wolt  by  good  conseil,  3531 
I  undertake  with-outen  mast  and  seyl, 

Yet  shal  I  saven  hire  and  thee  and  me. 

Hastow  nat  herd  hou  saved  was  Noe, 

Whan  that  oure  Lord  hadde  warned  hym  bi- 
forn 

That  al  the  world  with  water  sholde  be  lorn  ?  ” 
“  Yis,”  quod  this  carpenter,  “  ful  yoore  ago.” 
“  Hastou  nat  herd,”  quod  Nicholas,  “  also 
The  sorwe  of  Noe  1  with  his  felaweshipe  3539 
Er  that  he  myghte  brynge  his  wyf  to  shipe  ? 
Hym  hadde  be  levere,  I  dar  wel  undertake, 

At  thilke  tyme,  than  alle  hise  wetheres  blake, 
That  she  hadde  had  a  shipe  hir-self  allone. 
And  ther-fore,  woostou  what  is  best  to  doone  ? 
This  asketh  haste,  and  of  an  hastif  thyng 
Men  may  nat  preche  or  maken  tariyng. 

“  Anon  go  gete  us  faste  in  to  this  in 
A  knedyng  trogh,  or  ellis  a  kymelyn,2 
For  ech  of  us,  but  loke  that  they  be  large, 

In  whiche  we  mowe  swymme  as  in  a  barge, 
And  han  ther-inne  vitaille  suffisant  355 1 

But  for  a  day,  —  fy  on  the  remenant,  — 

The  water  shal  aslake  and  goon  away 
Aboute  pryme  3  up-on  the  nexte  day. 

But  Robyn  may  nat  wite  of  this,  thy  knave, 

1  In  the  Mystery  Play.  2  Brewer’s  tub.  3  Early. 


134 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


Ne  eek  thy  mayde  Gille  I  may  nat  save ; 

Axe  nat  why,  for  though  thou  aske  me, 

I  wol  nat  tellen  Goddes  pryvetee  ; 

Suffiseth  thee,  but  if  thy  wittes  madde, 

To  han  as  greet  a  grace  as  Noe  hadde.  3560 
Thy  wyf  shal  I  wel  saven,  out  of  doute. 

Go  now  thy  wey  and  speed  thee  heer  aboute. 

“  But  whan  thou  hast  for  hire  and  thee  and 
me 

Ygeten  us  thise  knedyng  tubbes  thre, 

Thanne  shaltow  hange  hem  in  the  roof  ful  hye, 
That  no  man  of  oure  purveiaunce  spye, 

And  whan  thou  thus  hast  doon  as  I  have  seyd, 
And  hast  oure  vitaille  faire  in  hem  yleyd, 

And  eek  an  ax  to  smyte  the  corde  atwo  3569 
Whan  that  the  water  comth,  that  we  may  go, 
And  broke  an  hole,  an  heigh  up-on  the  gable, 
Unto  the  gardynward,  over  the  stable, 

That  we  may  frely  passen  forth  oure  way 
Whan  that  the  grete  shour  is  goon  away  ; 
Thanne  shal  I  swymme  as  myrie,1  I  undertake, 
As  dooth  the  white  doke  after  hire  drake  ; 
Thanne  wol  I  clepe  how  Alisoun,  how  John, 
Be  myrie,  for  the  flood  wol  passe  anon, 

And  thou  wolt  seyn,  £  Hayl,  maister  Nicholay  ! 
Good  morwe,  I  se  thee  wel  for  it  is  day  !  ’  3580 
And  thanne  shul  we  be  lordes  al  oure  lyf 
Of  al  the  world,  as  Noe  and  his  wyf. 

“  But  of  o  thyng  I  warne  thee  ful  right, 


1  Pleasant. 


THE  PLOT  OF  NICHOLAS.  1 35 

Be  wel  avysed  on  that  ilke  nyght 
That  we  ben  entred  in  to  shippes  bord, 

That  noon  of  us  ne  speke  nat  a  word, 

Ne  clepe,1  ne  crie,  but  been  in  his  preyere, 

For  it  is  Goddes  owene  heeste  2  deere. 

Thy  wyf  and  thou  moote  hange  fer  atwynne,8 
For  that  bitwixe  yow  shal  be  no  synne,  3590 
Na  moore  in  lookyng4  than  ther  shal  in  deede  ; 
This  ordinance  is  seyd  ;  so  God  thee  speede, 
Tomorwe  at  nyght,  whan  folk  ben  alle  aslepe, 
In  to  our  knedyng  tubbes  wol  we  crepe, 

And  sitten  there,  abidyng  Goddes  grace. 

Go  now  thy  wey,  I  have  no  lenger  space 
To  make  of  this  no  lenger  sermonyng,  — 

Men  seyn  thus,  ‘  Sende  the  wise  and  sey  no 
thyng  ;  ’ 

Thou  art  so  wys  it  needeth  thee  nat  to  preche, 
Go  save  oure  lyf  and  that  I  the  biseche.”  3600 
This  sely  carpenter  goth  forth  his  wey; 

Ful  ofte  he  seith  “  Allas,”  and  “  Weylawey,” 
And  to  his  wyf  he  tolde  his  pryveetee, 

And  she  was  war,  and  knew  it  bet  than  he, 
What  al  this  queynte  cast 6  was  for  to  seye  ; 
But  nathelees  she  ferde  6  as  she  wolde  deye, 
And  seyde,  “  Allas  !  go  forth  thy  wey  anon, 
Flelp  us  to  scape  or  we  been  lost  echon  ! 

I  am  thy  trewe,  verray,  wedded  wyf,  3609 
Go,  deere  spouse,  and  help  to  save  oure  lyf  !  ” 

1  Call.  2  Behest.  3  Asunder.  4  Appearance.  5  Contrivance. 
6  Behaved. 


I36  THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 

Lo  which  a  greet  thyng  is  affeccioun  ! 1 
Men  may  dyen  of  ymaginacioun, 

So  depe  may  impressioun  be  take. 

This  sely  carpenter  bigynneth  quake  ; 

Hym  thynketh  verraily  that  he  may  see 
Noees  flood,  come  walwynge  as  the  see, 

To  drenchen  Alisoun,  his  hony  deere. 

He  wepeth,  weyleth,  maketh  sory  cheere  ; 

He  siketh,  with  ful  many  a  sory  swogh  ; 2  3619 
He  gooth  and  geteth  hym  a  knedyng  trogh, 
And  after  that  a  tubbe  and  a  kymelyn, 

And  pryvely  he  sente  hem  to  his  in,8 
And  heng  hem  in  the  roof  in  pryvetee. 

His  owene  hande  made  laddres  thre, 

To  clymben  by  the  ronges  and  the  stalkes, 

In  to  the  tubbes,  hangynge  in  the  balkes ; 4 
And  hem  vitailleth,  bothe  trogh  and  tubbe, 
With  breed  and  chese  and  good  ale  in  a  jubbe,5 
Suffisynge  right  ynogh  as  for  a  day  ; 

But  er  that  he  hadde  maad  al  this  array  3630 
He  sente  his  knave,  and  eek  his  wenche  also, 
Up  on  his  nede  to  London  for  to  go  ; 

And  on  the  Monday,  whan  it  drow  to  nyght, 
He  shette  his  dore  with-oute  candel  lyght, 

And  dresseth  alle  thyng  as  it  shal  be  ; 

And  shortly  up  they  clomben  alle  thre  ; 

They  sitten  stifle,  wel  a  furlong  way.6 

1  Fancy.  2  Groan.  8  House.  4  Rafters.  5  Vessel. 
0  A  short  time.  Cf.  1.  12,852. 


THIS  AMOROUS  ABSOLON.  1 37 

“  Now,  Pater  noster ,  clom,”1  seyde  Nicholay ; 
And  “  Clom,”  quod  John,  and  “  Clom,”  seyde 
Alisoun. 

This  carpenter  seyde  his  devocioun,  3640 

And  stille  he  sit  and  biddeth  2  his  preyere, 
Awaitynge  on  the  reyn,  if  he  it  heere. 

The  dede  sleepe  for  wery  bisynesse 
Fil  on  this  carpenter,  right  as  I  gesse 
Aboute  corfew  tyme,  or  litel  more ; 

For  travaille  of  his  goost  he  groneth  soore, 
And  eft  he  routeth,3  for  his  heed  rnyslay. 

Doun  of  the  laddre  stalketh  Nicholay, 

And  Alisoun  ful  softe  adoun  she  speckle  ; 
With-outen  wordes  mo  they  goon  to  beclde. 
Ther  as  the  carpenter  is  wont  to  lye,  3651 
Ther  was  the  revel  and  the  melody e. 

And  thus  lith  Alison  and  Nicholas, 

In  bisynesse  of  myrthe  and  of  solas, 

Til  that  the  belle  of  laudes  gan  to  rynge, 

And  freres  in  the  chauncel  gonne  synge. 

This  parissh  clerk,  this  amorous  Absolon, 
That  is  for  love  alwey  so  wo  bigon, 

Up-on  the  Monday  was  at  Oseneye 
With  a  compaignye,  hym  to  disporte  and  pleye, 
And  axed  up-on  cas  4  a  cloistrer  3661 

Ful  prively  after  John  the  carpenter. 

And  he  drought  hym  a  part  out  of  the  chirche, 
And  seyde,  “  I  noot  I  saugh  hym  heere  nat 
wirche 


1  Mum.  2  Prayeth.  3  Snoreth.  4  As  it  were  casually. 


I38  THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 

Syn  Saterday ;  I  trow  that  he  be  went 
For  tymber  ther  our  abbot  hath  hym  sent ; 

For  he  is  wont  for  tymber  for  to  go, 

And  dwellen  at  the  grange  1  a  day  or  two  ; 

Or  elles  he  is  at  his  hous  certeyn  ; 

Where  that  he  be  I  kan  nat  soothly  seyn.” 

This  Absolon  ful  joly  was  and  light,  3671 
And  thoghte,  “  Now  is  tyme  to  2  wake  3  al  nyght, 
For  sikirly  I  saugh  him  nat  stirynge 
Aboute  his  dore,  syn  day  bigan  to  sprynge. 

So  moot  I  thryve  I  shal  at  cokkes  crowe 
Ful  pryvely  knokke  at  his  wyndowe 
That  stant  ful  lowe  up  on  his  boures  wal. 

To  Alison  now  wol  I  tellen  al 
My  love  longynge  ;  for  yet  I  shal  nat  mysse 
That  at  the  leste  wey  I  shal  hire  kisse.  3680 
Som  maner  confort  shal  I  have,  parfay.4 
My  mouth  hath  icched  al  this  longe  day, 

That  is  a  signe  of  kissyng  atte  leste. 

Al  nyght  me  mette,5  eek  I  was  at  a  feeste  ; 
Therfore  I  wol  goon  slepe  an  houre  or  tweye, 
And  al  the  nyght  thanne  wol  I  wake  and  pleye.” 

Whan  that  the  firste  cok  hath  crowe  anon 
Up  rist  this  joly  lovere  Absolon, 

And  hym  arraieth  gay,  at  poynt  devys  ; 6 
But  first  he  cheweth  greyn  and  lycorys,  3690 
To  smellen  sweete,  er  he  hadde  kembd  his 
heer. 

1  The  abbey  farm.  2  “  To  ”  not  in  Elles.  MS. 

4  By  my  faith.  5  Dreamed.  6  Very  exactly. 


3  To  watch. 


139 


“go  fro  the  wyndow.” 

Under  his  tonge  a  trewe-love  1  he  beer, 

For  ther-by  wende  he  to  ben  gracious. 

He  rometh  to  the  carpenteres  hous, 

And  stille  he  stant  under  the  shot  wyndowe,  — 
Un-to  his  brist  it  raughte,2  it  was  so  lowe,  — 
And  softe  he  knokketh  with  a  semy-soun  : 

“  What  do  ye,  hony  comb,  sweete  Alisoun, 

My  faire  bryd,  my  sweete  cynamome  ? 

Awaketh,  lemman  3  myn,  and  speketh  to  me. 
Wei  litel  thynken  ye  up  on  my  wo  37QI 

That  for  youre  love  I  swete  ther  I  go. 

No  wonder  is,  thogh  that  I  swelte  4  and  swete, 

I  moorne  as  dooth  a  lamb  after  the  tete  ; 

Ywis,  lemman,  I  have  swich  love  longynge, 
That  lik  a  turtel  trewe  is  my  moornynge  ; 

I  may  nat  ete  na  moore  than  a  mayde.” 

“Go  fro  the  wyndow,  jakke-fool,”  she  sayde, 
“  As  help  me  God,  it  wol  nat  be,  compame  ; 5 
I  love  another,  and  elles  I  were  to  blame,  3710 
Wei  bet  than  thee,  by  Jhesu,  Absolon. 

Go  forth  thy  wey,  or  I  wol  caste  a  ston, 

And  lat  me  slepe,  a  twenty  devel  wey  !  ” 
“Allas,”  quod  Absolon,  “and  weylawey, 
That  trewe  love  was  evere  so  yvel  biset ! 
Thanne  kysse  me,  syn  it  may  be  no  bet,6 
For  Jhesus  love,  and  for  the  love  of  me.” 

“  Wiltow  thanne  go  thy  wey  ?  ”  quod  she. 
“Ye  certes,  lemman,”  quod  this  Absolon. 

1  An  herb.  2  Reached.  3  Sweetheart.  4  Faint.  6  Friend. 
Mr.  Ellis  would  read,  “  It  wol  nat  be  ‘  Com  ba  me  (“  Come  fon¬ 
dle  me,”  alluding  to  some  song.  Cf.  11.  672,  10,475).  E.  E.  Pro¬ 
nunciation,  iii.  7x5.  B  Better. 


140 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


“  Thanne  make  thee  redy,”  quod  she,  “  I 
come  anon,”  372° 

And  un-to  Nicholas  she  seyde  stille, 

“Now  hust  and  thou  shalt  laughen  al  thy fille.” 

This  Absolon  doun  sette  hym  on  his  knees, 
And  seyde,  “I  am  lord  at  alle  degrees, 

For  after  this  I  hope  ther  cometh  moore. 
Lemman,  thy  grace,  and  sweete  bryd,  thyn 
oore.”  1  (3724  T.) 

The  wyndow  she  undoth,  and  that  in  haste, 

“  Have  do,”  quod  she,  “  com  of,  and  speed  the 
faste, 

Lest  that  oure  neighebores  thee  espie.”  3729 
This  Absolon  gan  wype  his  mouth  ful  drie ; 
Dirk  was  the  nyght  as  pich,  or  as  the  cole, 

And  at  the  wyndow  out  she  pitte  hir  hole, 

And  Absolon  hym  fil  no  bet  ne  wers, 

But  with  his  mouth  he  kiste  hir  naked  ers 
Ful  savourly  er  he  was  war  of  this. 

Abak  he  stirte,  and  thoughte  it  was  amys, 
For  wel  he  wiste  a  womman  hath  no  berd. 

He  felte  a  thyng  al  rough  and  long  y herd, 2 
And  seyde,  “  Fy,  alias,  what  have  I  do  ?  ” 

“  Tehee  !  ”  quod  she,  and  clapte  the  wyndow 
to,  3740 

And  Absolon  gooth  forth  a  sory  pas.3 

“A.  berd,  a  berd  !  ”  quod  hende  Nicholas, 

“  By  Godd.es  corpus,4  this  goth  faire  and  week” 
This  sely  Absolon  herde  every  deel, 


]  Favor. 


2  Haired. 


3  Pace. 


4  Body. 


GERVEYS,  THE  SMITH. 


141 

And  on  his  lippe  he  gan  for  anger  byte, 

And  to  hym  self  he  seyde,  “  I  shal  thee  quyte.” 

Who  rubbeth  now,  who  froteth  now  his  lippes 
With  dust,  with  sond,  with  straw,  with  clooth, 
with  chippes, 

But  Absolon  ?  —  that  seith  ful  ofte,  “Allas  ! 

My  soule  bitake  I  un-to  Sathanas,  375° 

But  me  were  levere  than  al  this  toun,”  quod 
he, 

“  Of  this  despit  awroken  1  for  to  be.  (3750  t.) 
Allas,”  quod  he,  “  alias,  I  nadde  2  ybleynt.”  3 
His  hoote  love  was  coold  and  al  yqueynt  ; 

For  fro  that  tyme  that  he  hadde  kiste  hir 
ers, 

Of  paramours  he  sette  nat  a  kers  ; 

For  he  was  heeled  of  his  maladie. 

Full  ofte  paramours  he  gan  deffie, 

And  weepe  as  dooth  a  child  that  is  ybete. 

A  softe  paas  4  he  wente  over  the  strete  3760 
Un-til  a  smyth,  men  cleped  daun  Gerveys, 

That  in  his  forge  smythed  plough  harneys,  — 
He  sharpeth  shaar  and  kultour  bisily. 

This  Absolon  knokketh  al  esily, 

And  seyde,  “  Undo,  Gerveys,  and  that  anon.” 
“What,  who  artow?”  “I  am  heere,  Abso¬ 
lon.” 

“  What,  Absolon  !  For  Cristes  sweete  tree, 
Why  rise  ye  so  rathe  ?  ey  benedicitee ! 

1  Avenged.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “ne  hadde.” 

4  Pace 


3  Started  aside. 


142 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


What  eykth  yow  ?  Som  gay  gerl,  God  it  woot, 
Hath  brought  yow  thus  up-on  the  viritoot ; 1 
By  seinte  Note,2  ye  woot  wel  what  I  mene.” 

This  Absolon  ne  roghte  nat  a  bene,  3772 
Of  al  his  pley ;  no  word  agayn  he  gaf  ; 

He  hadde  moore  tow  on  his  distaf 
Than  Gerveys  knew,  and  seyde,  “  Freend  so 
deere, 

That  hoote  kultour  in  the  chymenee  heere, 

As  lene  3  it  me,  I  have  ther-with  to  doone, 

And  I  wol  brynge  it  thee  agayn  ful  soone.” 

Gerveys  answerde,  “  Certes,  were  it  gold, 

Or  in  a  poke,  nobles  alle  untold,  3780 

Thou  sholdest  have,  as  I  am  trewe  smyth  ; 

Ey,  Cristes  foo,4  what  wol  ye  do  ther-with  ?  ” 

“  Ther  of,”  quod  Absolon,  “  be  as  be  may, 

I  shal  wel  telle  it  thee  to  morwe  day,” 

And  caughte  the  kultour  by  the  colde  stele. 

Ful  softe  out  at  the  dore  he  gan  to  stele, 

And  wente  un-to  the  carpenteris  wal. 

He  cogheth  first  and  knokketh  ther  with  al 
Up-on  the  wyndowe,  right  as  he  dide  er.6 

This  Alison  answerde,  “  Who  is  ther,  3790 
That  knokketh  so  ?  I  warante  it  a  theef.  ” 

“  Why  nay,”  quod  he,  “  God  woot,  my  sweete 
leef,6 

I  am  thyn  Absolon,  my  deerelyng. 

Of  gold,”  quod  he,  “I  have  thee  broght  a 
ryng ; 

1  Quick  trot  (?).  2  Neot.  3  Lend.  4  Foot.  6  Erst.  8  Love. 


THE  DENOUMENT. 


143 


My  mooder  gaf  it  me,  so  God  me  save  ; 

Ful  fyn  it  is,  and  ther-to  wel  ygrave  ; 

This  wol  I  geve  thee,  if  thou  me  kisse.” 

This  Nicholas  was  risen  for  to  pisse, 

And  though te  he  wolde  amenden  al  the  jape, 
He  sholde  kisse  his  ers,  er  that  he  scape  ; 

And  up  the  wyndowe  dide  he  hastily,  3801 
And  out  his  ers  he  putteth  pryvely,  (3800  T.) 
Over  the  buttok  to  the  haunche  bon. 

And  ther  with  spak  this  clerk,  this  Absolon  : 

“  Spek,  sweete  bryd,  I  noot  nat  where  thou 
art.” 

This  Nicholas  anon  leet  fle  a  fart, 

As  greet  as  it  had  been  a  thonder  dent, 

That  with  the  strook  he  was  almoost  yblent ; 1 
And  he  was  redy  with  his  iren  hoot, 

And  Nicholas  amydde  ers  he  smoot.  3810 
Of  gooth  the  skyn,  an  hande  brede  aboute, 
The  hoote  kultour  brende  so  his  toute ; 2 
And  for  the  smert  he  wende  for  to  dye. 

As  he  were  wood  for  wo  he  gan  to  crye, 

“  Help,  water,  water,  help,  for  Goddes  herte  !  ” 
This  carpenter  out  of  his  slomber  sterte, 

And  herde  oon  crien  “water,”  as  he  were  wood, 
And  thoughte,  “Allas,  now7  comth  Nowelis 
flood  !  ” 

He  sit  hym  up  with-outen  wordes  mo,  3819 
And  with  his  ax  he  smoot  the  corde  atwo, 

And  doun  gooth  al,  he  foond  neither  to  selle,3 

1  Blinded.  2  Hinder  parts.  8  No  engagement  to  detain  him. 


144 


THE  MILLER’S  TALE. 


Ne  breed  ne  ale,  til  he  cam  to  the  celle  1 
Up-on  the  floor,  and  ther  aswowne  he  lay. 

Up  stirte  hire  Alison  and  Nicholay, 

And  criden,  “  Out  and  harrow !  ”  in  the  strete. 
The  neighebores  bothe  smale  and  grete 
In  ronnen  for  to  gauren  2  on  this  man 
That  yet  aswowne  he  lay,  bothe  pale  and  wan, 
For  with  the  fal  he  brosten  hadde  his  arm. 

But  stonde  he  moste  un-to  his  owene  harm,  3830 
For  whan  he  spak  he  was  anon  bore  doun 
With  hende  Nicholas  and  Alisoun. 

They  tolden  every  man  that  he  was  wood, 

He  was  agast  so  of  Nowelis  flood 
Thurgh  fantasie,  that  of  his  vanytee 
He  hadde  yboght  hym  knedyng  tubbes  thre, 
And  hadde  hem  hanged  in  the  rove  3  above  ; 
And  that  he  preyde  hem,  for  Goddes  love, 

To  sitten  in  the  roof,  par  compaignye. 

The  folk  gan  laughen  at  his  fantasye  ;  3840 
In  to  the  roof  they  kiken  4  and  they  gape,5 
And  turned  al  his  harm  un-to  a  jape  ; 

For,  what-so  that  this  carpenter  answerde, 

It  was  for  noght,  no  man  his  reson  herde  ; 

With  othes  grete  he  was  so  sworn  adoun, 

That  he  was  holde  wood  6  in  al  the.  toun, 

For  every  clerk  anonright  heeld  with  oother  ; 
They  seyde,  “  The  man  was  wood,  my  leeve 
broother ;  ” 

1  Cellar.  2  Gaze.  3  Roof.  4  Peep.  5  Elies.  MS.  has  “cape.” 
«  Mad. 


THE  WRATH  OF  THE  REEVE.  1 45 

And  every  wight  gan  laughen  of  this  stryf. 
Thus  swyved  1  was  this  carpenteris  wyf,  3850 
For  al  his  kepyng  and  his  jalousye  ; 

And  Absolon  hath  kist  hir  nether  eye, 

And  Nicholas  is  scalded  in  the  towte  :  (3851  T.) 
This  tale  is  doon,  and  God  save  al  the  rowte. 


The  Wrath  of  Oswald  the  Rcve. 

Whan  folk  hadde  laughen  at  this  nyce  cas 
Of  Absolon  and  hende  Nicholas,  (3854  t.) 
Diverse  folk  diversely  they  seyde, 

But  for  the  moore  part  they  loughe  and  pleyde  ; 
Ne  at  this  tale  I  saugh  no  man  hym  greve, 

But  it  were  oonly  Osewold  the  Reve.  3860 
By-cause  he  was  of  carpenteris  craft 
A  litel  ire  is  2  in  his  herte  ylaft. 

He  gan  to  grucche  and  blamed  it  a  lite. 

“  So  theek,”  3  quod  he,  “  ful  wel  koude  I  yow 
quite, 

With  bleryng  of  a  proud  milleres  eye,4  — 

If  that  me  liste  speke  of  ribaudye,  — 

But  ik5  am  oold,  me  list  no  pley  for  age, 

Gras  tyme  is  doon,  my  fodder  is  now  for¬ 
age  ; 

This  white  tope  writeth  myne  olde  yeris ; 

Myn  herte  is  mowled 6  also  as  myne  heris,  3870 
But7  if  I  fare  as  dooth  an  openers.8 

1  Abused.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  So  thee  ich  =  so  thrive  I. 
4  Cheating  a  miller.  8  I.  6  Moulded.  7  Except.  8  Medlar. 

VOL.  I.  10 


I46  THE  HOST  ADDRESSES  THE  REEVE. 

That  ilke  fruyt  is  ever  leng  the  wers 
Til  it  be  roten  in  mullok,  or  in  stree.1 

“  W e  olde  men,  I  drede,  so  fare  we, 

Til  we  be  roten  lean  we  nat  be  rype. 

We  hoppen  ay  whil  that  the  world  wol  pype, 
For  in  oure  wyl  ther  stiketh  evere  a  nayl, 

To  have  an  hoor  heed  and  a  grene  tayl, 

As  hath  a  leek  ;  for  thogh  oure  myght  be  goon, 
Oure  wyl  desireth  folie  evere  in  oon  ;  3880 

For  whan  we  may  nat  doon,  than  wol  we  speke, 
Yet  in  oure  asshen  olde  is  fyr  yreke.2 
Foure  gleedes3  han  we,  whiche  I  shal  devyse, 
Avauntyng,  liyng,  anger,  coveitise. 

Thise  foure  sparkles  longen  4  un-to  eelde. 

Oure  olde  lemes  5  mowe  wel  been  unweelde, 

But  wyl  ne  shal  nat  faillen,  that  is  sooth  ; 

And  yet  ik  have  alwey  a  coltes  tooth, 

As  many  a  yeer  as  it  is  passed  henne 

Syn  that  my  tappe  of  lif  bigan  to  renne  ;  3890 

For  sikerly  whan  I  was  bore  anon 

Deeth  drought  the  tappe  of  lyf  and  leet  it  gon, 

And  ever  sithe  hath  so  the  tappe  yronne, 

Til  that  almoost  al  empty  is  the  tonne. 

The  streem  of  lyf  now  droppeth  on  the  chymbe,6 
The  sely  tonge  may  wel  rynge  and  chymbe  7 
Of  wrecchednesse  that  passed  is  ful  yoore ; 
With  olde  folk,  save  dotage,  is  namoore.” 
Whan  that  oure  Hoost  hadde  herd  this  ser- 
monyng, 

1  Rubbish  or  straw.  -  Smouldering.  3  Live  coals.  4  Belong. 
5  Limbs.  6  Chimb.  7  Chime. 


THE  MILLER  OF  TRUMP YNGTOUN.  1 47 

He  gan  to  speke  as  lordly  as  a  kyng.  3900 
He  seide  :  “What  amounteth  al  this  wit? 
What,  shul  we  speke  alday  of  hooly  writ  ? 

The  devel  made  a  Reve  for  to  preche,  (3901  t.) 
And  of  a  soutere,1  shipman,  or  a  leche. 

Sey  forth  thy  tale,  and  tarie  nat  the  tyme,  — 
Lo,  Depeford,  and  it  is  half  wey  pryme. 

Lo,  Grenewych,  ther  many  a  shrewe  is  inne, 

It  were  al  tyme  thy  tale  to  bigynne.” 

“  Now,  sires,”  quod  this  Osewold  the  Reve, 

“  I  pray  yow  alle  that  ye  nat  yow  greve,  3910 
Thogh  I  answere  and  somdeel  sette  his  howve,2 
For  leveful 3  is,  with  force  force  of  showve  ; 4 
This  dronke  Millere  hath  ytoold  us  heer 
How  that  bigyled  was  a  carpenteer, 

Pera venture  in  scorn  for  I  am  oon, 

And,  by  youre  leve,  I  shal  him  quite  anoon. 
Right  in  his  cherles  termes  wol  I  speke  ; 

I  pray  to  God  his  nekke  mote  breke.  3918 
He  kan  wel  in  myn  eye  seen  a  stalke,  (3917  t.) 
But  in  his  owene  he  kan  nat  seen  a  balke.”  5 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Reves  Tale? 

At  Trumpyngtoun,  nat  fer  fro  Cantebrigge, 
Ther  gooth  a  brook,  and  over  that  a  brigge, 

1  Cobbler.  2  Set  his  hood,  i.  e.,  get  the  better  of  him.  Cf.  1.  586. 
3  Lawful.  4  Repel.  6  Beam.  6  The  Reeve’s  tale  is  in  its  main 
features  the  same  as  the  sixth  novel  of  the  ninth  day  of  the  Deccune- 
rone,  but  it  was  often  told  in  the  olden  time.  Two  French  versions, 
having  more  details  than  Boccaccio  gives,  were  printed  by  the  Chau¬ 
cer  Society  in  1872. 


I48  THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 

Up-on  the  whiche  brook  ther  stant  a  melle  ; 
And  this  is  verray  sooth  that  I  yow  tell. 

A  millere  was  ther  dwellynge  many  a  day, 

As  eny  pecok  he  was  proud  and  gay. 

Pipen  he  koude,  and  fisshe,  and  nettes  beete,1 
And  turne  coppes,2and  wel  wrastle  and  sheete  ;3 
And  by  his  belt  he  baar  a  long  panade,4  3929 
And  of  a  swerd  ful  trenchant  was  the  blade. 

A  joly  poppere  5  baar  he  in  his  pouche, 

Ther  was  no  man,  for  peril,  dorste  hym  touche  ; 
A  Sheffield  thwitel 6  baar  he  in  his  hose. 

Round  was  his  face,  and  camuse  7  was  his  nose  ; 
As  piled  8  as  an  ape  was  his  skulle  ; 

He  was  a  market-betere 9  atte  fulle  ; 

Ther  dorste  no  wight  hand  up-on  hym  legge 10 
That  he  ne  swoor  he  sholde  anon  abegge.11 

A  theef  he  was  of  corn  and  eek  of  mele, 

And  that  a  sly  and  usaunt  for  to  stele.  3940 
His  name  was  hoote,  deynous,  Symkyn.12 
A  wyf  he  hadde,  yeomen  of  noble  kyn,  — 

The  person  13  of  the  toun  hir  fader  was,  — 

With  hire  he  gaf  ful  many  a  panne  of  bras 
For  that  Symkyn  sholde  in  his  blood  allye. 

She  was  yfostred  in  a  nonnerye, 

For  Symkyn  wolde  no  wyf,  as  he  sayde, 

But  if  she  were  wel  ynorissed  and  a  mayde, 

To  saven  his  estaat  of  yomanrye.  3949 

And  she  was  proud  and  peert 14  as  is  a  pye. 

1  Mend.  2  Cups  (in  a  lathe).  3  Shoot.  4  Weapon.  8  Dagger. 
6  Whittle.  7  Crooked.  8  Pilled.  9  Swaggerer.  10  Lay.  11  Sui 
fer.  12  Called  in  contempt  “  Little  Simon.”  13  Parson.  14  Airy 


THE  CULTURE  OF  THE  WIFE.  I49 

A  ful  fair  sighte  was  it  up-on  hem  two  (3949  t.) 
On  haly  dayes ;  biforn  hire  wolde  he  go 
With  his  typet  ybounde  about  his  heed  ; 

And  she  cam  after  in  a  gyte  1  of  reed  ; 

And  Symkyn  hadde  hosen  of  the  same. 

Ther  dorste  no  wight  clepen  hire  but  “  Dame  ;  ” 
Was  noon  so  hardy  that  wente  by  the  weye 
That  with  hire  dorste  rage,  or  ones  pleye, 

But  if  he  wolde  be  slayn  of  Symkyn, 

With  panade,  or  with  knyf,  or  boidekyn ;  3960 
For  jalous  folk  ben  perilous  everemo  ; 

Algate  they  wolde  hire  wyves  wenden  so. 

And  eek  for  she  was  somdel  smoterlich,2 
She  was  as  digne 3  as  water  in  a  dicli,4 
As  ful  of  hoker,6  and  of  bisemare.6 
Hir  thoughte  that  a  lady  sholde  hire  spare,7 
What  for  hire  kynrede  and  hir  nortelrie  8 
That  she  hadde  lerned  in  the  nonnerie. 

A  doghter  hadde  they  bitwixe  hem  two 
Of  twenty  yeer,  with-outen  any  mo,  397° 

Savynge  a  child  that  was  of  half  yeer  age  ; 

In  cradel  it  lay,  and  was  a  propre  page.9 
This  wenche  thikke  and  wel  ygrowen  was, 

With  kamuse  nose,  and  eyen  greye  as  glas  ; 
Buttokes  brode,  and  brestes  rounde  and  hye, 
But  right  fair  was  hire  heer,  I  wol  nat  lye. 

This  person  of  the  toun,  for  she  was  feir, 

In  purpos  was  to  maken  hire  his  heir, 

1  Gown.  2  Smutty.  3  Repellant.  4  She  kept  people  at  a  dis¬ 
tance.  6  Frowardness.  6  Abusive  talk.  7  Consider.  8  Culture 
9  Boy. 


150  THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 

Both  of  his  catel  and  his  mesuage,1  3979 

And  straunge 2  he  made  it  of  hir  mariage. 

His  purpos  was  for  to  bistowe  hire  hye 
In-to  som  worthy  blood  of  auncetrye  ; 

For  hooly  chirches  good  moot  been  despended 
On  hooly  chirches  blood  that  is  descended ; 
Therfore  he  wolde  his  hooly  blood  honoure, 
Though  that  he  hooly  chirche  sholde  devoure. 

Gret  sokene  3  hath  this  millere,  out  of  doute, 
With  whete  and  malt  of  al  the  land  aboute  ; 
And  nameliche,  ther  was  a  greet  collegge,  3989 
Men  clepen  the  Soler  Halle  at  Cantebregge ; 
Ther  was  hir  whete  and  eek  hir  malt  ygrounde  ; 
And  on  a  day  it  happed  in  a  stounde,4 
Sik  lay  the  maunciple  on  a  malaclye. 

Men  wenden  wisly  that  he  sholde  dye, 

For  which  this  millere  stal  bothe  mele  and  corn 
An  hundred  tyme  moore  than  biforn  : 

For  ther  biforn  he  stal  but  curteisly, 

But  now  he  was  a  theef  outrageously  ; 

For  which  the  wardeyn  chidde  and  made  fare,5 
But  ther  of  sette  the  millere  nat  a  tare  ;  4000 

He  craketh  boost,6  and  swoor  it  was  nat  so. 

Thanne  were  ther  yonge,  povre  clerkes  two, 
That  dwelten  in  this  halle  of  which  I  seye  : 
Testif 7  they  were,  and  lusty  for  to  pleye  ; 

And,  oonly  for  hire  myrthe  and  revelrye, 

Up-on  the  wardeyn  bisily  they  crye,  (4004  t.) 

1  Messuage.  2  Difficult.  8  Soc,  toll.  4  Moment.  5  Proceed¬ 
ings.  6  Loudly  boasted.  7  Heady. 


TWO  CLERKS  OF  CANTEBREGGE.  1 5 1 

To  geve  hem  leve,  but  a  litel  stounde, 

To  goon  to  mille  and  seen  hir  corn  ygrounde, 
And  hardily  1  they  dorste  leye  hir  nekke,  4009 
The  millere  shold  nat  stele  hem  half  a  pekke 
Of  corn,  by  sleighte,  ne  by  force  hem  reve.2 
And  at  the  laste  the  wardeyn  gaf  hem  leve. 
John  highte  that  oon,  and  Aleyn  heet  that 
oother  ; 

Of  o  toun  were  they  born,  that  highte  Strother, 
Fer  in  the  North,  I  kan  nat  telle  where. 

This  Aleyn  maketh  redy  al  his  gere, 

And  on  an  hors  the  sak  he  caste  anon. 

Forth  goth  Aleyn  the  clerk,  and  also  John, 
With  good  swerd  and  bokeler  by  hir  side. 

John  knew  the  wey,  hem  neded  not 3  no  gyde  ; 
And  at  the  mille  the  sak  adoun  he  layth. 

Aleyn  spak  first,  “Al  hayl,  Symond,  y-fayth  ! 
Hou  fares  thy  faire  doghter,  and  thy  wyf  ?  ” 

“  Aleyn,  welcome,”  quod  Symkyn,  “  by  my 
lyf!  4024 

And  John  also,  how  now  ?  what  do  ye  heer  ?  ” 
“Symond,”  quod  John,  “  by  God,  nede  has 
na  peer, 

Hym  boes 4  serve  hym  seine 5  that  has  na  swayn, 
Or  elles  he  is  a  fool  as  clerkes  sayn. 

Oure  manciple,  I  hope  6  he  will  be  deed, 

Swa  werkes  ay  the  wanges  7  in  his  heed ;  4030 
And  forthy  is  I  come,  and  eek  Alayn, 


1  Boldly.  2  Bereave.  3  Not  in  Elles.  MS.  4  Behooves.  8  Self. 
6  Fear  me.  (This  passage  is  in  a  Northern  dialect.)  7  Wang-tooth. 


152 


THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 


To  grynde  oure  corn  and  carie  it  ham  agayn. 

I  pray  yow  spede  us  heythen  1  that  ye  may.” 

“  It  shal  be  doon,”  quod  Symkyn,  “  by  my 
fay ! 

What  wol  ye  doon  whil  that  it  is  in  hande  ?  ” 

“  By  God,  right  by  the  hopur  wil  I  stande,” 
Quod  John,  “and  se  how  that  the  corn  gas  in; 
Yet  saugh  I  nevere,  by  my  fader  kyn, 

How  that  the  hopur  wagges  til  and  fra.” 

Aleyn  answerde,  “John,  wiltow  swa  ? 2  4040 
Thanne  wil  I  be  bynethe,  by  my  croun  ! 

And  se  how  that  the  mele  falles  doun 
In-to  the  trough,  —  that  sal  be  my  disport ; 

For  John,  yfaith,  I  may  been  of  youre  sort, 

I  is  as  ille  a  millere  as  are  ye.” 

This  millere  smyled  of  hir  nycetee, 

And  thoghte,  “  A1  this  nys  doon  but  for  a  wyle  ; 
They  wene  that  no  man  may  hem  bigile  ; 

But  by  my  thrift  yet  shal  I  blere  hir  eye, 

For  al  the  sleighte  in  hir  philosophye.  4050 
The  moore  queynte  crekes  3  that  they  make, 
The  moore  wol  I  stele  whan  I  take.  (4050  t.) 
In  stide  of  flour  yet  wol  I  geve  hem  bren  ; 

The  gretteste  clerkes  been  noght  wisest  men, 
As  whilom  to  the  wolf  thus  spak  the  mare,4  — 
Of  al  hir  art  ne  counte  I  noght  a  tare.” 

Out  at  the  dore  he  gooth  ful  pryvely, 

Whan  that  he  saugh  his  tyme  softely. 

He  looketh  up  and  doun  til  he  hath  founde 

1  Hence.  2  So.  3  Crooks.  4  The  reference  is  to  Reynard  the 
Fox. 


“OURE  HORS  IS  LORN!”  I  53 

The  clerkes  hors  ther  as  it  stood  ybounde  4060 
Bihynde  the  mille,  under  a  lefsel,1 
And  to  the  hors  he  goth  hym  faire  and  wel ; 
He  strepeth  of  the  brydel  right  anon, 

And  whan  the  hors  was  laus,2  he  gynneth  gon 
Toward  the  fen,  ther  wilde  mares  renne,  — 
Forth  with  “  Wehee  !  ”  thurgh  thikke  and  thurgh 
thenne.  4066 

This  millere  gooth  agayn,  no  word  he  seyde, 
But  dooth  his  note 3  and  with  the  clerkes  pleyde, 
Til  that  hir  corn  was  faire  and  weel  ygrounde  ; 
And  whan  the  mele  is  sakked  and  ybounde, 
This  John  goth  out,  and  fynt  his  hors  away, 
And  gan  to  crie,  “  Harrow  !  ”  and,  “  Weylaway ! 
Oure  hors  is  lorn ;  Alayn,  for  Goddes  banes  4 
Stepe  on  thy  feet ;  com  out,  man,  al  atanes  ! 
Allas,  our  wardeyn  has  his  palfrey  lorn  !  ” 

This  Aleyn  al  forgat  bothe  mele  and  corn ; 

Al  was  out  of  his  mynde  his  housbondrie. 

“  What,  whilk  way  is  he  geen  ?  ”  6  he  gan  to  crie. 

The  wyf  cam  lepynge  inward  with  a  ren  ; 

She  seyde,  “  Allas,  youre  hors  goth  to  the  fen 
With  wilde  mares,  as  faste  as  he  may  go  ;  4081 
Unthank 6  come  on  his  hand  that  boond  hym 
so, 

And  he  that  bettre  sholde  han  knyt  the  reyne  !  ” 
“Allas,”  quod  John,7  “Aleyn,  for  Cristes 
peyne, 


1  Leafy  shelter,  bower :  Lef,  leaf,  sel,  abode.  2  Loose.  3  Need, 
duty.  4  Bones.  5  Gone.  0  No  thanks.  7  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


154 


THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 


Lay  doun  thy  swerd,  and  I  wil  myn  alswa. 

1 1  is  ful  wight,2  God  waat,  as  is  a  raa  ; 3 
By  Goddes  herte  !  he  sal  nat  scape  us  bathe. 
Why  nadstow  pit  the  capul 4  in  the  lathe  ? 5 
Ilhayl,  by  God,  Aleyn,  thou  is  a  fonne.”  6 
This  sely7  clerkes  han  ful  faste  yronne  4090 
To-ward  the  fen,  bothe  Aleyn  and  eek  John  ; 
And  whan  the  niillere  saugh  that  they  were 
gon, 

He  half  a  bussliel  of  hir  flour  hath  take, 

And  bad  his  wyf  go  knede  it  in  a  cake. 

He  seyde,  “I  trowe  the  clerkes  were  aferd, 

Yet  kan  a  millere  make  a  clerkes  berd  8 
For  al  his  art ;  now  lat  hem  goon  hir  weye  ! 

Lo  wher  they  goon  ;  ye  lat  the  children  pleye  ; 
They  gete  hym  nat  so  lightly,  by  my  croun  !  ” 
Thise  sely  clerkes  rennen  up  and  doun  4100 
With  “  Keepe  !  keepe  !  stand  !  stand  !  Jossa 
warderere  ! 9  (4°99  T0 

Ga  whistle  thou,  and  I  shal  kepe  hym  heere.” 
But  shortly,  til  that  it  was  verray  nyght 
They  koude  nat,  though  they  do  al  hir  myght, 
Hir  capul  cacche,  he  ran  alwey  so  faste, 

Til  in  a  dych  they  caughte  hym  atte  laste. 

Wery  and  weet,  as  beest  is  in  the  reyn, 
Comth  sely  John,  and  with  him  comth  Aleyn. 
“Allas!”  quod  John,  “the  day  that  I  was 
born  !  4109 

1  He.  2  Swift.  3  Roe.  4  Horse.  5  Stable.  6  Fool.  7  Simple. 
8  Befool  a  clerk.  Cf.  1.  10,403.  9  Beware  behind. 


CLERKS  AND  MILLER  GO  TO  REST.  1 5  5 

Now  are  we  dryve  til  hethyng  1  and  til  scorn  ; 
Oure  corn  is  stoln,  men  wil  us  fooles  calle, 
Bathe  the  wardeyn  and  oure  felawes  alle, 

And  namely  the  millere,  weylaway  !  ” 

Thus  pleyneth  John,  as  he  gooth  by  the  way 
Toward  the  mille,  and  Bayard  2  in  his  hond. 
The  millere  sittynge  by  the  fyr  he  fond,  — 

For  it  was  nyght  and  forther  myghte  they 
noght,  — 

But  for  the  love  of  God  they  hym  bisoght 
Of  herberwe  3  and  of  ese  as  for  hir  peny.  4119 
The  millere  seyde  agayn,  “  If  ther  be  eny, 
Swich  as  it  is,  yet  shal  ye  have  youre  part ; 
Myn  hous  is  streit,  but  ye  ban  lerned  art, 

Ye  konne  by  argumentez  make  a  place 
A  myle  brood  of  twenty  foot  of  space’. 

Lat  se  now  if  this  place  may  suffise 
Or  make  it  rowm 4  with  speche  as  is  youre 
gise.” 

“  Now,  Symond,”  seyde  John,  “by  Seint  Cut- 
berd,5 

Ay  is  thou  myrie,  and  this  is  faire  answerd. 

I  have  herd  seyd,  ‘  Man  sal  taa°  of  twa  thynges, 
Slyk  7  as  he  fyndes  or  taa  slyk  as  he  brynges ;  ’ 
But  specially  I  pray  thee,  hoost  cleere,  4131 
Get  us  som  mete  and  drynke,  and  make  us 
cheere, 

And  we  wil  payen  trewely  atte  fulle ; 

1  Contempt.  2  Bay  horse.  3  Lodging.  4  Roomier.  5  Cuthbert. 
«  Take.  7  Such. 


156  THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 

With  empty  hand  men  may  none  haukes  tulle  j1 
Loo,  heere  our  silver,  redy  for  to  spende.” 

This  millere  in  to  toun  his  doghter  sende 
For  ale  and  breed,  and  rosted  hem  a  goos, 

And  boond  hire  hors,  it  sholde  nat  goon  loos, 
And  in  his  owene  chambre  hem  made  a  bed, 
With  sheetes  and  with  chalons  2  faire  yspred, 
Noght  from  his  owene  bed  ten  foot  or  twelve. 
His  doghter  hadde  a  bed  al  by  hir-selve,  4142 
Right  in  the  same  chambre  by  and  by 
It  mighte  be  no  bet,  and  cause  why  ? 

Ther  was  no  rommer  herberwe  3  in  the  place. 
They  soupen,  and  they  speke  hem  to  solace, 
And  drynke  evere  strong  ale  atte  4  beste. 
Aboute  mydnyght  wente  they  to  reste. 

Wei  hath  this  millere  vernysshed  his  heed  ; 8 
Ful  pale  he  was  for-dronken,  and  nat  reed.6 
He  yexeth,7  and  he  speketh  thurgh  the  nose, 

As  he  were  on  the  quakke  or  on  the  pose.8  4152 
To  bedde  he  goth,  and  with  hym  goth  his  wyf, 
As  any  jay  she  light  was  and  jolyf  ;  (4152  T.) 

So  was  hir  joly  whistle  wel  y-wet ; 

The  cradel  at  hir  becldes  feet  is  set, 

To  rokken,  and  to  geve  the  child  to  sowke ; 
And  whan  that  dronken  al  was  in  the  crowke,9 
To  bedde  went  the  doghter  right  anon  ; 

To  bedde  wente  Aleyn,  and  also  John,  4160 
Ther  nas  na  moore ;  hem  neded  no  dwale.10 

1  Lure.  Cf.  1.  10,457.  2  Chalons  goods.  3  Roomier  lodging. 

*  At  the.  6  Drunk.  8  Red.  7  Hicciipeth.  8  As  he  had  an  ob¬ 
struction  in  his  throat,  or  the  rheum.  9  Crock.  10  A  soporific. 


THE  CLERKS  CONVERSE.  I  57 

This  millere  hath  so  wisely  bibbed  ale 
That  as  an  hors  he  snorteth  in  his  sleepe ; 

Ne  of  his  tayl  bihynde  he  took  no  keepe  ; 

His  wyf  bar  him  a  burdon,1  a  ful  strong, 

Men  myghte  hir  rowtyng  heere  two  furlong ; 
The  wenche  rowteth  eek,  par  compaignye. 

Aleyn  the  clerk,  that  herd  this  melodye, 

He  poked  John,  and  seyde,  “Slepestow? 
Herdtow  evere  slyk  a  sang  er  now  ?  4170 

Lo,  whilk  a  complyng  is  ymel 2  hem  alle  ! 

A  wilde  fyr  up-on  thair  bodyes  falle  ! 

Wha  herkned  evere  slyk  a  ferly 3  thyng  ? 

Ye,  they  sal  have  the  flour  of  il  endyng  ! 

This  lange  nyght  ther  tydes  me  na  reste, 

But  yet,  nafors,4  al  sal  be  for  the  beste, 

For,  John,”  seyde  he,  “als  evere  moot  I  thryve, 
If  that  I  may,  yon  wenche  wil  I  swyve.5 
Som  esement  has  lawe  yshapen  us ; 

For,  John,  ther  is  a  lawe  that  says  thus,  4180 
That  gif  a  man  in  a  point  be  ygreved, 

That  in  another  he  sal  be  releved. 

Oure  corn  is  stoln,  shortly  is  ne  nay, 

And  we  han  had  an  il  fit  al  this  day ; 

And  syn  I  sal  have  neen  6  amendement 
Agayn  my  los,  I  wil  have  esement. 

By  God  sale  ! 7  it  sal  neen  other  bee.” 

This  John  answerde,  “Alayn,  avyse  thee; 
The  millere  is  a  perilous  man,”  he  seyde, 

1  Accompaniment.  2  What  a  compline  (/.  e.,  even-song)  is  among. 
8  Marvelous.  4  No  matter.  8  Futuere.  0  No.  7  Soul. 


158  THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 

“  And  gif  that  he  out  of  his  sleepe  abreyde,1 
He  mighte  doon  us  bathe  a  vileynye.”  4191 
Aleyn  answerde,  “  I  count  hym  nat  a  flye.” 
And  up  he  rist,  and  by  the  wenche  he  crepte. 
This  wenche  lay  uprighte,  and  faste  slepte 
Til  he  so  ny  was,  er  she  myghte  espie, 

That  it  had  been  to  late  for  to  crie  ; 

And,  shortly  for  to  seyn,  they  were  aton. 

Now  pley,  Aleyn,  for  I  wol  speke  of  John. 

This  John  lith  stille  a  furlong  wey2  or  two, 
And  to  hym  self  he  maketh  routhe  and  wo  ; 
“Allas  !  ”  quod  he,  “this  is  a  wikked  jape  ; 
Now  may  I  seyn  that  I  is  but  an  ape  ;  (4200  T.) 
Yet  has  my  felawe  som  what  for  his  harm,  — 
He  has  the  milleris  doghter  in  his  arm.  4204 
He  auntred3  hym,  and  has  his  nedes  sped, 

And  I  lye  as  a  draf  sek  4  in  my  bed ; 

And  when  this  jape  is  tald  another  day, 

I  sal  been  halde  a  daf,  a  cokenay. 

I  wil  arise  and  auntre  it,  by  my  fayth  ; 

‘  Unhardy  is  unseely,’ 5  thus  men  sayth.”  4210 
And  up  he  roos  and  softely  he  wente 
Un-to  the  cradel,  and  in  his  hand  it  hente, 

And  baar  it  softe  un-to  the  beddes  feet. 

Soone  after  this  the  wyf  hir  rowtyng  leet, 
And  gan  awake  and  wente  hire  out  to  pisse, 
And  cam  agayn,  and  gan  hir  cradel  mysse, 

And  groped  heer  and  ther,  but  she  foond  noon. 

1  Start  up.  2  A  little  while.  3  Ventured.  4  Rubbish  sack. 
3  Wretched. 


THE  DAY  DAWNS.  1 59 

“  Allas  !  ”  quod  she,  “  I  hadde  almoost  mys- 
goon ; 

I  hadde  almoost  goon  to  the  clerkes  bed.  4219 
Ey,  benedicite  /  thanne  hadde  I  foule  y-sped.” 
And  forth  she  gooth  til  she  the  cradel  fond  ; 
She  gropeth  alwey  forther  with  hir  hond, 

And  foond  the  bed  and  thoghte  noght  but 
good, 

By  cause  that  the  cradel  by  it  stood, 

And  nyste  wher  she  was,  for  it  was  derk, 

But  faire  and  wel  she  creepe  in-to  the  clerk  ; 
And  lith  ful  stille  and  wolde  han  caught  a 
sleepe. 

With-inne  a  while  this  John  the  clerk  up  leepe, 
And  on  this  goode  wyf  he  leith  on  soore  ; 

So  myrie  a  fit  hadde  she  nat  ful  yoore  ;  4230 

He  priketh  harde  and  soore  as  he  were  mad. 
This  joly  lyf  han  thise  two  clerkes  lad 
Til  that  the  thridde  cok 1  bigan  to  synge. 

Aleyn  wax  wery  in  the  dawenynge, 

For  he  had  swonken  2  al  the  longe  nyght ; 

And  seyde,  “Fare  weel,  Malyne,3  sweete  wight. 
The  day  is  come,  I  may  no  lenger  byde ; 

But  everemo,  wher  so  I  go  4  or  ryde, 

I  is  thyn  awen  5  clerk,  swa  have  I  seel.”  6 
“  Now,  deere  lemman,”  quod  she,  “  go,  fare- 
weel !  4240 

But,  er  thow  go,  o  thyng  I  wol  thee  telle  ; 

1  An  hour  before  day.  2  Worked.  3  Malkin,  Molly.  4  Walk. 
6  Own.  8  Happiness. 


160  THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 

Whan  that  thou  wendest  homward  by  the 
melle, 

Right  at  the  entree  of  the  dore  bihynde, 

Thou  shalt  a  cake  of  half  a  busshel  fynde, 

That  was  ytnaked  of  thyn  owene  mele, 

Which  that  I  heelpe  my  fader  for  to  stele ; 

And,  goode  lemman,  God  thee  save  and  kepe  !  ” 
And  with  that  word-  almoost  she  gan  to  wepe. 
Aleyn  up  rist  and  thoughte,  “  Er  that  it 
dawe, 

I  wol  go  crepen  in  by  my  felawe  ;  ”  4250 

And  fond  the  cradel  with  his  hand  anon. 

“  By  God  !  ”  thoughte  he,  “  al  wrang  I  have 
mysgon;  (425°  T.) 

Myn  heed  is  toty 1  of  my  swynk  to  nyght, 

That  maketh  me  that  I  go  nat  aright ; 

I  woot  wel  by  the  cradel  I  have  mysgo ; 

Heere  lith  the  millere  and  his  wyf  also.” 

And  forth  he  goth,  a  twenty  devel  way,2 
Un-to  the  bed  ther  as  the  millere  lay. 

He  wende3  have  cropen  by  his  felawe  John, 
And  by  the  millere  in  he  crepe  anon,  4260 
And  caughte  hym  by  the  nekke,  and  softe  he 
spak  ; 

He  seyde,  “Thou  John,  thou  swynesheed,4 
awak, 

For  Cristes  saule,  and  heer  a  noble  game  ; 

For  by  that  lord  that  called  is  seint  Jame, 

As  I  have  thries  in  this  shorte  nyght 

1  Dizzy.  2  Rapidly.  3  Believed.  4  Swine’s  head. 


HOOLY  CROYS  OF  BROMHOLM  ! 


<< 


’  161 


Swyved  the  milleres  doghter  bolt  upright, 

Whil  thow  hast  as  a  coward  been  agast.” 

“Ye,  false  harlot,”  quod  the  millere,  “hast? 
A  !  false  traitour  !  false  clerk  !  ”  quod  he, 

“  Thow  shalt  be  deed,  by  Goddes  dignitee  ! 
Who  dorste  be  so  book!  to  disparage  4271 
My  doghter,  that  is  come  of  swich  lynage  ?  ” 
And  by  the  throte  bolle  he  caughte  Alayn  ; 
And  he  hente  hym  despitously  agayn, 

And  on  the  nose  he  smoot  hym  with  his  fest. 
Doun  ran  the  blody  streem  up-on  his  brest, 
And  in  the  floor,  with  nose  and  mouth  to-broke, 
They  walwe  as  doon  two  pigges  in  a  poke ; 

And  up  they  goon  and  doun  agayn  anon, 

Til  that  the  millere  sporned  at  a  stoon,  4280 
And  doun  he  fil  bakward  up-on  his  wyf, 

That  wiste  no  thyng  of  this  nyce  stryf, 

For  she  was  falle  aslepe  a  lite 1  wight 
With  John  the  clerk,  that  waked  hadde  al 
nyght ; 

And  with  the  fal  out  of  hir  sleepe  she  breyde.2 
“  Help,  hooly  croys  of  Bromholm,”  3  she  seyde, 
“  In  manus  tuas ,4  Lord,  to  thee  I  calle  ! 

Awak,  Symond !  the  feend  is  on  us  falle  ! 

Myn  herte  is  broken  !  help  !  I  nam  but  deed  ! 
Ther  lyth  oon  up-on  my  wombe 5  and  on  myn 
heed.  4290 

Helpe,  Symkyn,  for  the  false  clerkes  fighte  !  ” 

1  Little.  2  Started.  3  Bromholme  was  a  Norfolk  priory.  4  Into 
thy  hands.  6  Belly. 

VOL.  I.  II 


1 62 


THE  REEVE’S  TALE. 


This  John  stirte  up,  as  soone  as  ever  he 
myghte, 

And  graspeth  by  the  walles  to  and  fro 
To  fynde  a  staf,  and  she  stirte  up  also, 

And  knewe  the  estres  1  bet  than  dide  this  J ohn  ; 
And  by  the  wal  a  staf  she  foond  anon, 

And  saugh  a  litel  shymeryng  of  a  light, 

For  at  an  hole  in  shoon  the  moone  bright ; 

And  by  that  light  she  saugh  hem  bothe  two, 

But  sikerly  she  nyste  who  was  who  ;  43  00 

But  as  she  saugh  a  whit  thyng  in  hir  eye, 

And  whan  she  gan  the  white  thyng  espye, 

She  wende  the  clerk  hadde  wered  a  volupeer,2 
And  with  the  staf  she  drough  ay  neer  and  neer 3 
And  wende  han  hit  this  Aleyn  at  the  fulle  ; 
And  smoot  the  millere  on  the  pyled  skulle, 

And  doun  he  gooth,  and  cride,  “  Harrow !  I 
dye  !  ”  (4305  t.) 

Thise  clerkes  beete  hym  weel  and  lete  hym  lye 
And  greythen  hem  4  and  tooke  hir  hors  anon, 
And  eek  hire  mele,  and  on  hir  wey  they  gon, 
And  at  the  mille  yet  they  tooke  hir  cake  4311 
Of  half  a  busshel  flour  ful  wel  ybake. 

Thus  is  the  provide  millere  wel  ybete, 

And  hath  ylost  the  gryndynge  of  the  whete, 
And  payed  for  the  soper  everideel 
Of  Aleyn  and  of  John,  that  bette  5  hym  weel ; 
His  wyf  is  swyved,  and  his  doghter  als. 

1  Passages.  2  Night-cap.  3  Nearer  and  nearer.  4  Clothed. 
6  Beat. 


WORDS  OF  THE  COOK  AND  THE  HOST.  1 6 

Lo  !  swich  it  is  a  millere  to  be  fals  ; 

And  therfore  this  proverbe  is  seyd  ful  sooth, 

“  Hym  thar  nat  wene  wel  that  yvele  dooth,”  1 
A  gylour  shal  hym  self  bigyled  be,  — 

And  God,  that  sitteth  heighe  in  Trinitee,  4322 
Save  al  this  compaignye,  grete  and  smale. 

Thus  have  I  quyt  the  Millere  in  my  tale.  (4322  t.) 


Words  of  Roger,  the  Cook ,  and  Harry  Badly, 
the  Host. 

The  Cook  of  Londoun,  vvhil  that  the  Reve 
spak,  (4323  T.) 

For  joye  him  thoughte  he  clawed  him  on  the 
bale  ; 

“  Ha,  ha  !  ”  quod  he,  “  for  Cristes  passioun 
This  millere  hadde  a  sharpe  conclusioun 
Upon  his  argument  of  herbergage  ;2 
Wel  seyde  Salomon,  in  his  langage,  433° 

‘Ne  brynge  nat  every  man  in-to  thyn  hous,’ 
For  herberwynge  by  nyghte  is  perilous. 

Wel  oghte  a  man  avysed  for  to  be 
Whom  that  he  broghte  in-to  his  pryvetee. 

I  pray  to  God,  so  geve  me  sorwe  and  care, 

If  evere  sitthe  I  highte  Hogge  3  of  Ware, 

Herde  I  a  millere  bettre  yset  a  werk. 

He  hadde  a  jape  of  malice  in  the  derk  ; 

But  God  forbede  that  we  stynte  heere, 


1  He  must  not  expect  good  who  doeth  evil.  2  Lodging.  3  Roger. 
Hodge. 


ro 


164  WORDS  OF  THE  COOK  AND  THE  HOST. 

And  therfore  if  ye  vouche-sauf  to  heere  4340 
A  tale  of  me,  that  am  a  povre  man, 

I  wol  yow  telle  as  wel  as  evere  I  kan 
A  litel  jape  that  fil  in  oure  citee.” 

Oure  Hoost  answerde  and  seide,  “  I  graunte 
it  thee  ; 

Now  telle  on,  Roger,  looke  that  it  be  good; 

For  many  a  pastee  has  tow  laten  blood,1 
And  many  a  jakke  of  Dovere  2  hastow  soold, 
That  hath  been  twies  hoot  and  twies  coold  ; 

Of  many  a  pilgrym  hastow  Cristes  curs, 

For  of  thy  percely  yet  they  fare  the  wors,  4350 
That  they  han  eten  with  thy  stubbel  goos, 

For  in  thy  shoppe  is  many  a  flye  loos.  (4350  t.) 
Now  telle  on,  gentil  Roger  by  thy  name, 

But  yet  I  pray  thee  be  nat  wroth  for  game,8 
A  man  may  seye  ful  sooth  in  game  and  pley.” 
“Thouseist  ful  sooth,”  quod  Roger,  “  by  my 
fey  ! 

But  ‘  sooth  pley  quaad  pley,’  4  as  the  Flemyng 
seith  ; 

And  ther-fore,  Fferry  Bailly,  by  thy  feith, 

Be  thou  nat  wrooth,  er  we  departen  heer 
Though  that  my  tale  be  of  an  hostileer  : 5 
But  nathelees  I  wol  nat  telle  it  yit ;  4361 

But  er  we  parte,  ywis,  thou  shalt  be  quit 
And  ther  with  al  he  lough  and  made  cheere, 
And  seyde  his  tale  as  ye  shul  after  heere. 

1  That  is,  of  the  hart.  2  A  sea  fish.  3  Pleasantry.  4  Earnest 
pleasantry,  bad  pleasantry.  6  Host. 


PERKYN  REVELOUR. 


165 


Heere  bigynneth  The  Cookes  Tale. 

A  prentys  whilom  dwelled  in  oure  citee, 

And  of  a  craft  of  vitailliers  was  hee.  (4364  t.) 
Gaillard 1  he  was  as  goldfynch  in  the  shawe  ; 2 
Broun  as  a  berye,  a  propre  short  felawe, 

With  lokkes  blake  ykempd  ful  fetisly ; 3 
Dauncen  he  koude  so  wel  and  jolily,  4370 
That  he  was  cleped  Perkyn  Revelour. 

He  was  as  ful  of  love  and  paramour 
As  is  the  hyve  ful  of  hony  sweete. 

Wel  was  the  wenche  with  hym  myghte  meete  ; 
At  every  bridale  wolde  he  synge  and  hoppe, 

He  loved  bet  the  taverne  than  the  shoppe. 

For  whan  ther  any  ridyng  was  in  Chepe,4 
Out  of  the  shoppe  thider  wolde  he  lepe  ; 

Til  that  he  hadde  al  the  sighte  yseyn,  4379 
And  daunced  wrel,  he  wolde  nat  come  ageyn  ; 
And  gadered  hym  a  meynee  5  of  his  sort 
To  hoppe  and  synge  and  maken  swich  disport; 
And  ther  they  setten  stevene  6  for  to  meete 
To  pleyen  at  the  dys  in  swich  a  streete  ; 

For  in  the  toune  nas  ther  no  prentys 
That  fairer  koude  caste  a  paire  of  dys 
Than  Perkyn  koude,  and  ther-to  he  was  free 
Of  his  dispense,  in  place  of  pryvetee. 

That  fond  his  maister  wel  in  his  chaffare  ;7 

1  Gay  2  Shade.  3  Neatly.  4  Cheapside.  6  Following. 
3  Time.  7  Traffic. 


THE  COOK’S  TALE. 


166 

For  often  tyme  he  foond  his  box  ful  bare,  4390 
For  sikerly  a  prentys  revelour, 

That  haunteth  dys,  riot,  or  paramour, 

Flis  maister  shal  it  in  his  shoppe  abye,1 
A1 2  have  he  no  part  of  the  mynstralcye  ; 

For  thefte  and  riot  they  been  convertible, 

A1  lconne  he  pleye  on  gyterne  3  or  ribible.4 
Revel  and  trouthe,  as  in  a  lowe  degree, 

They  been  ful  wrothe  5  al  day,  as  men  may  see. 

This  joly  prentys  with  his  maister  bood, 

Til  he  were  ny  out  of  his  prentishood  ;  4400 

Al  were  he  snybbed  6  bothe  erly  and  late, 

And  somtyme  lad  with  revel  to  Newegate; 

But  atte  laste  his  maister  hym  bithoghte, 

Up-on  a  day  whan  he  his  papir 7  soghte, 

Of  a  proverbe  that  seith  this  same  word, 

“  Wei  bet 8  is  roten  appul  out  of  hoord, 

Than  that  it  rotie  al  the  remenaunt.”  (4405  t.) 

So  fareth  it  by  a  riotous  servaunt, 

It  is  wel  lasse  harm  to  lete  hym  pace  9 
Than  he  shende 10  alle  the  servauntz  in  the 
place.  4410 

Therfore  his  maister  gaf  hym  acquitance, 

And  bad  hym  go  with  sorwe  and  with  mes- 
chance  ; 

And  thus  this  joly  prentys  hadde  his  leve. 

Now  lat  him  riote  al  the  nyght  or  leve  ; 

And  for  ther  is  no  theef  with-oute  a  lowke,11 

1  Suffer.  2  Although.  3  Guitar.  4  Rebec.  6  At  enmity. 
0  Snubbed,  rebuked.  7  Accounts.  8  Better.  9  Pass.  10  Ruin. 
11  Receiver. 


THE  SECOND  DAY. 


167 


That  helpeth  hym  to  wasten  and  to  sowke, 

Of  that  he  brvbe  kan  or  borwe  may, 

Anon  he  sente  his  bed  and  his  array 
Un-to  a  compier  of  his  owene  sort  (4417  t.) 
That  lovede  dys,  and  revel  and  disport,  4420 
And  hadde  a  wyf  that  heeld  for  contenance  1 
A  shoppe,  and  swyved  for  hir  sustenance  2  .  .  . 

End  of  the  Tales  of  the  First  Day. 


TALES  OF  THE  SECOND  DAY. 

The  wordes  of  the  Hoost  to  the  compaignye. 

Oure  Hoost  saugh  wel  that  the  brighte  sonne 
The  ark  of  his  artificial  day  hath  ronne  (4422  t.) 
The  ferthe  part,  and  half  an  houre  and  moore, 
And  though  he  were  nat  depe  ystert  in  loore,3 
He  wiste  it  was  the  eightetethe  4  day 
Of  Aprill  that  is  messager  to  May, 

And  saugh  wel  that  the  shad  we  of  every  tree 
Was,  as  in  lengthe,  the  same  quantitee  4430 
That  was  the  body  erect  that  caused  it ; 

And  ther-fore  by  the  shadwe  he  took  his  wit 
That  Phebus,  which  that  shoon  so  clere  and 
brighte, 

Degrees  was  fyve  and  fourty  clombe  on  highte  ; 


1  For  appearances.  2  This  tale  ends  thus  abruptly.  3  Advanced 
in  knowledge.  4  Elies.  MS.  reads  “eighte  and  twentithe.” 


1 68 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST. 


And  for  that  day,  as  in  that  latitude, 

It  was  ten  at  the  clokke,  he  gan  conclude  ; 

And  sodeynly  he  plighte  1  his  hors  aboute. 

“  Lordynges,”  quod  he,  “  I  warne  yow,  al 
this  route, 

The  fourthe  party  of  this  day  is  gon. 

Now  for  the  love  of  God  and  of  Seint  John, 
Leseth  2  no  tyme,  as  ferforth  as  ye  may.  4441 
Lordynges,  the  tyme  wasteth  nyght  and  day 
And  steleth  from  us,  —  what  piyvely  slepynge, 
And  what  thurgh  necligence  in  oure  wakynge,  — 
As  dooth  the  streem  that  turneth  nevere  agayn, 
Descendynge  fro  the  montaigne  in  to  playn. 

“  Wei  kan  Senec,  and  many  a  philosophre, 
Biwaillen  tyme  moore  than  gold  in  cofre  ; 

For  ‘  losse  of  catel 3  may  recovered  be, 

But  losse  of  tyme  shendeth  us,’  quod  he,  4450 
It  wol  nat  come  agayn,  with  outen  drede, 
Namoore  than  wole  Malkynes  maydenhede,4 
Whan  she  hath  lost  it  in  hir  wantownesse  ; 

Lat  us  natmowlen5  thus  in  ydelnesse.  (4452  t.) 
“  Sire  Man  of  Lawe,”  quod  he,  “  so  have  ye 
blis, 

Telle  us  a  tale  anon,  as  forward  6  is  ; 

Ye  been  submytted  thurgh  youre  free  assent 
To  stonden  in  this  cas  at  my  juggement. 
Acquiteth  yow  now  of  youre  biheeste,  4459 
Thanne  have  ye  do  youre  devoir'1  atte  leeste.” 

1  Pulled.  2  Lose  ye.  8  Chattels.  4  Maidenhood.  5  Mould. 
6  Agreement.  7  Duty. 


THE  MAN  OF  LAW  SPEAKS.  1 69 

“  Hoost,”  quod  he,  “  depardieux 1  ich  assente. 
To  breke  forward  is  nat  myn  entente  ; 

Biheste  is  dette,  and  I  wole  holde  fayn 
A1  my  biheste,  I  kan  no  bettre  sayn, 

For  swich  lawe  as  man  2  geveth  another  wight 
He  sholde  hym-selven  usen  it  by  right ; 

Thus  wole  oure  text,  but  nathelees  certeyn, 

I  kan  right  now  no  thrifty  tale  seyn, 

But 3  Chaucer,  thogh  he  kan  4  but  lewedly, 

On  metres  and  on  rymyng  craftily,  447° 

Hath  seyd  hem  in  swich  Englissh  as  he  kan 
Of  olde  tyme,  as  knoweth  many  a  man  ; 

And  if  he  have  noght  seyd  hem,  leve  brother, 
In  o  book  he  hath  seyd  hem  in  another  ; 

For  he  hath  toolcl  of  loveris  up  and  doun 
Mo  than  Ovide  made  of  mencioun 
In  hise  Epistles,  that  been  ful  olde. 

What  sholde  I  telle  hem,  syn  they  ben  tolde  ? 

“  In  youthe  he  made 5  of  Ceys  and  Alci- 
one,6 

And  sitthe  hath  he  spoken  of  everichone  4480 
Thise  noble  wyves  and  thise  loveris  eke. 

Who  so  that  wole  his  large  volume  seke, 

Cleped  the  Seintes  Legende  of  Cupide,7 
Ther  may  he  seen  the  large  woundes  wyde 
Of  Lucresse  and  of  Babilan  Tesbee ; 

The  swerd  of  Dido  for  the  false  Enee  ; 

The  tree  of  Phillis  for  hire  Demophon  ; 

1  Bv  the  gods.  2  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  a  man.”  3  Elies.  MS.  reads 
“that.”  4  Knows.  5  Wrote  poetry.  8  In  the  Boke  0/  the  Duch- 
esse.  7  The  Legende  0 f  Goode  Women. 


170  THE  MAN  OF  LAW  SPEAKS. 


The  pleinte  of  Dianire  1  and  of  Hermyon  ; 

Of  Adriane  and  of  Isiphilee  ; 

The  bareyne  yle 2  stondynge  in  the  see  ;  4490 

The  dreynte  Leandre  for  his  fayre  3  Erro  ; 

The  teeris  of  Eleyne  ;  and  eek  3  the  wo 
Of  Brixseyde,  and  of 3  the  Ladomya  ; 

The  crueltee  of  the  queene  Medea, 

Thy  litel  children  hangynge  by  the  hals  4 
For  thy  Jason  that  was  in  love  so  fals  ! 

O  Ypermystra,  Penolopee,  Alceste, 

Youre  wifhede  he  comendeth  with  the  beste  ! 

“  But  certeinly  no  word  ne  writeth  he 
Of  thilke  wikke  ensample  of  Canacee,  45°° 
That  loved  hir  owene  brother  synfully ; 

(Of  swiche  cursed  stories  I  sey  fy !)  (4500  T.) 

Or  ellis  of  Tyro  Appollonius, 

How  that  the  cursed  kyng  Antiochus 
Birafte  his  doghter  of  hir  maydenhede, 

That  is  so  horrible  a  tale  for  to  rede, 

Whan  he  hir  threw  up-on  the  pavement ; 

And  therfore  he,  of  ful  avysement, 

Nolde  nevere  write  in  none  of  his  sermons 
Of  swiche  unkynde  5  abhomynacions,  45 10 
Ne  I  wol  noon  reherce,  if  that  I  may. 

“  But  of  my  tale  how  shall  I  doon  this  day  ? 
Me  were  looth  be  likned,  doutelees, 

1  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  Diane.”  Deianira  mourned,  in  her  epistle  to 
Hercules,  that  she  (by  sending  him  the  poisoned  garment  given  her 
by  the  Centaur)  appeared  to  be  the  cause  of  the  hero’s  death.  See 
Ovid’s  Epistles  of  the  Heroines,  ep.  ix.,  and  Metamorphoses,  book  ix. 
Cf.  1.  10,767.  2  Naxos.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Neck.  6  Un¬ 

natural. 


THE  MAN  OF  LAW'S  PROLOGUE.  171 

To  Muses  that  men  clepe  Pierides,1  — ■ 
Methamorphosios  woot  what  I  mene,  — 

But  nathelees,  I  recche  noght  a  bene 
Though  I  come  after  hvm,  with  halvebake  ;2 
I  speke  in  prose,  and  lat  him  rymes  make.” 
And  with  that  word,  he  with  a  sobre  cheere 
Bigan  his  tale,  as  ye  shal  after  heere.  4520 


The  Prologe  of  the  Manne  of  Lawes  Tale. 

O  hateful  harm  !  condicion  of  poverte  ! 

With  thurst,  with  coold,  with  hunger  so  con- 
foundid!3  (4S2°  T-) 

To  asken  help  thee  shameth  in  thyn  herte  ; 

If  thou  noon  aske  so  soore  artow  ywoundid, 
That  verray  nede  unwrappeth  al  thy  wounde 
hid  ! 

Maugree4  thyn  heed  thou  most  for  indigence 
Or  stele,  or  begge,  or  borwe  thy  despence  ! 
Thow  blamest  Crist,  and  seist  ful  bitterly, 

He  mysdeparteth  richesse  temporal ; 

Thy  neighebore  thou  wytest  6  synfully,  4530 
And  seist  thou  hast  to  lite  6  and  he  hath  al. 

“  Parfiyf  seistow,  “somtyme  he  rekene  shal 
Whan  that  his  tayl  shal  brennen  in  the  gleede,7 
For  he  noght  helpeth  needfulle  in  hir  needed’ 

1  The  daughters  of  Pierus  are  symbols  of  tiresome  chatterers. 
They  dared  to  contend  with  the  real  Muses,  and,  being  defeated, 
were  changed  into  magpies,  as  says  Ovid,  Metamorphoses,  book  v. , 
fable  2.  2  Crudities.  The  word  is  from  the  Lansdowne  MS.  Others 

have  “  hawebake,”  which  has  no  meaning  that  can  be  determined. 

3  Perplexed.  4  Despite.  6  Blamest.  6  Little.  7  Coals. 


172  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  PROLOGUE. 

Herkne,1  what  is  the  sentence  of  the  wise  : 

“  Bet  is  tc  dyen  than  have  indigence  ;  ” 
Thy-selve  neighebor  wol  thee  despise, 

If  thou  be  povre,  farwel  thy  reverence  ! 

Yet  of  the  wise  man  take  this  sentence  : 

“  Alle  dayes  of  povre  men  been  wikke ;  ”  4540 
Be  war  therfore,  er  thou  come  to  that  prikke  ! 
If  thou  be  povre  thy  brother  hateth  thee, 

And  alle  thy  freendes  fleen  from  thee,  alias  ! 

O  riche  marchauntz,  ful  of  wele  been  yee, 

O  noble,  o  prudent  folk,  as  in  this  cas  ! 

Youre  bagges  been  nat  fild  with  ambes  as ,2 
But  with  sys  cynk ,3  that  renneth  for  youre 
chaunce  ; 

At  Cristemasse  myrie  may  )'e  daunce  ! 

Ye  seken  lond  and  see  for  yowre  wynnynges  ; 
As  wise  folk  ye  knowen  all  thestaat  455° 
Of  regnes  ; 4  ye  been  fadres  of  tidynges 
And  tales,  bothe  of  pees  and  of  debaat. 

I  were  right  now  of  tales  desolaat,  (4551  t.) 
Nere  5  that  a  marchant  —  goon  is  many  a 
yeere  — 

Me  taughte  a  tale,  which  that  ye  shal  heere.6 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “herke.”  2  Both  aces.  Cf.  AW's  Well  that 
Ends  Well.,  act  ii.,  sc.  3, 1.  84.  3  A  six-and-five  throw.  Cf.  1.  8273. 
4  Kingdoms.  5  Were  it  not.  0  The  following  story  is  composed  of 
incidents  that  frequently  occur  in  ancient  authors.  Chaucer  follows 
Nicholas  Trivet,  whose  version  has  been  published  by  the  Chaucer 
Society  (1S72),  with  a  translation  by  Edmund  Brock.  In  the  Gesta 
Romatiorum  it  is  called  The  Tale  of  the  Wife  of  Merelaus  the  Em¬ 
peror. 


THE  CHAPMEN  GO  TO  ROME.  I  73 


Heere  begynneth  The  Man  of  Lawe  his  Tale. 

FIRST  PART. 

In  Surrye1  whilom  dvvelte  a  compaignye 
Of  chapmen2  riche,  and  therto  sadde 3  and 
trewe,  (4555  t.) 

That  wyde-where  4  senten  hir  spicerye, 

Clothes  of  gold,  and  satyns  riche  of  hewe. 

Hir  chaffare  was  so  thrifty  and  so  newe  4560 
That  every  wight  hath  deyntee  5  to  chaffare 
With  hem,  and  eek  to  sellen  hem  hire  ware. 
Now  fil  it  that  the  maistres  of  that  sort 
Han  shapen  hem  to  Rome  for  to  wende, 

Were  it  for  chapmanhode,  or  for  disport, 

Noon  oother  message 6  wolde  they  thider 
sende, 

But  comen  hem-self  to  Rome,  this  is  the  ende ; 
And  in  swich  place  as  thoughte  hem  avantage 
For  hire  entente,  they  take  hir  herbergage.7 

Sojourned  han  thise  marchantz  in  that  toun 
A  certein  tyme,  as  fil  to  hire  plesance  ;  457 1 

And  so  bifel  that  thexcellent  renoun 
Of  the  Emperoures  8  doghter,  dame  Custance, 
Reported  was,  with  every  circumstance, 

Un-to  thise  Surryen  marchantz  in  swich  wyse 
Fro  day  to  day,  as  I  shal  yow  devyse. 

7  Syria.  2  Merchants.  8  Staid.  4  Widely.  6  Pleasure.  0  Mes¬ 
senger.  7  Lodging  8  The  emperor  is  said  to  have  been  Tiberius 
Constantine  (578-582). 


174 


THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 


This  was  the  commune  voys  of  every  man  : 

“  Oure  Emperour  of  Rome,  God  hym  see  ! 1 
A  doghter  hath  that  syn  the  world  bigan, 

To  rekene  as  wel  hir  goodness  as  beautee, 

Nas  nevere  swich  another  as  is  shee.  4581 
I  prey  to  God,  in  honour  hire  susteene, 

And  wolde  she  were  of  all  Europe  the  queene  ! 
In  hire  is  heigh  beautee  with-oute  pride, 
Yowthe  with-oute  grenehede  2  or  folye  ; 

To  alle  hire  werkes  vertu  is  hir  gyde  ; 
Humblesse  hath  slayn  in  hire  al  tirannye ; 

She  is  mirour  of  alle  curteisye, 

Hir  herte  is  verray  chambre  of  hoolynesse, 

Hir  hand  ministre  of  fredam  for  almesse.”  4590 
And  al  this  voys  was  sooth,  as  God  is  trewe  ; 
But  now  to  purpos  lat  us  turne  agayn. 

Thise  marchantz  han  doon  fraught  hir  shippes 
newe, 

And  whan  they  han  this  blisful  mayden  sayn, 
Hoorn  to  Surrye  been  they  went 3  ful  fayn, 

And  doon  hir  nedes  as  they  han  doon  yoore, 
And  lyven  in  wele,  I  kan  sey  yow  namoore. 
Now  fil  it  that  thise  marchantz  stode  in 
grace 

Of  hym  that  was  the  sowdan  4  of  Surrye, 

For  whan  they  cam  from  any  strange  place 
He  wolde  of  his  benigne  curteisye  4601 

Make  hem  good  chiere  and  bisily  espye 
Tidynges  of  sondry  regnes,  for  to  leere5 

1  Preserve.  2  Childishness.  3  Turned.  4  Sultan.  5  Learn., 


THE  NOBLESSE  OF  DAME  CUSTANCE.  1 75 

The  wondres  that  they  myghte  seen  or  heere. 
Amonges  othere  thynges  specially,  (4603  x.) 
Thise  marchantz  han  hym  toold  of  dame  Cus- 
tance 

So  greet  noblesse  in  ernest  ceriously, 

That  this  sowdan  hath  caught  so  greet  plesance 
To  han  hir  figure  in  his  remembrance, 

That  all  his  lust,  and  al  his  bisy  cure,  4610 
Was  for  to  love  hire  while  his  lyf  may  dure. 
Paraventure  in  thilke  large  book, 

Which  that  men  clipe  1  the  hevene,  ywriten  was 
With  sterres,2  whan  that  he  his  birthe  took, 
That  he  for  love  sholde  han  his  deeth,  alias  ! 
For  in  the  sterres,  clerer  than  is  glas, 

Is  written,  God  woot,  who-so  koude  it  rede, 
The  deeth  of  every  man,  withouten  drede. 

In  sterres  many  a  wynter  ther  biforn 

Was  writen  the  deeth  of  Ector,  Achilles,  4620 

Of  Pompei,  Julius,  er  they  were  born, 

The  strif  of  Thebes,  and  of  Ercules, 

Of  Sampson,  Turnus,  and  of  Socrates 
The  deeth  ;  but  mennes  wittes  ben  so  dulle 
That  no  wight  kan  wel  rede  it  atte  fulle. 

This  sowdan  for  his  privee  conseil  sente, 
And,  shortly  of  this  matiere  for  to  pace,3 
He  hath  to  hem  declared  his  entente, 

And  seyde  hem,  certein  but  he  myghte  have 
grace 

To  han  Custance  with-inne  a  litel  space,  4630 

1  Call.  2  His  fortune  was  written  in  the  stars.  3  Pass. 


176  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

He  nas  but  deed,  and  charged  hem  in  hye 
To  shapen  for  his  lyf  som  remedye. 

Diverse  men  diverse  thynges  seyden, 

They  argumenten,  casten  up  and  doun  ; 

Many  a  subtil  resoun  forth  they  leyden  ; 

They  speken  of  magyk  and  abusioun  ; 1 
But  finally,  as  in  conclusioun, 

They  kan  nat  seen  in  that  noon  avantage, 

Ne  in  noon  oother  wey,  save  mariage. 

Thanne  sawe  they  ther-inne  swich  difficultee, 
By  wey  of  reson,  for  to  speke  al'playn,  4641 
By-cause  that  ther  was  swich  diversitee 
Bitwene  hir  bothe  lawes,  that  they  sayn, 

They  trowe  that  no  cristene  prince  wolde  fayn 
Wedden  his  child  under  oure  lawes  sweete, 
That  us  were  taught  by  Mahoun,2  oure  prophete. 

And  he  answerde,  “  Rather  than  I  lese 
Custance,  I  wol  be  cristned,  doutelees  ; 

I  moot  been  hires,  I  may  noon  oother  chese.8 
I  prey  yow  hookl  youre  argumentz  in  pees  ; 
Saveth  my  lyf,  and  beth  noght  recchelees,  4651 
To  geten  hire  that  hath  my  lyf  in  cure  ;  (4650  T.) 
For  in  this  wo  I  may  nat  longe  endure.” 

What  nedeth  gretter  dilatacioun  ?  4 
I  seye,  by  tretys  and  embassadrie, 

And  by  the  popes  mediacioun, 

And  al  the  chirche,  and  al  the  chivalrie, 

That  in  destruccioun  of  maumettrie,6 
And  in  encrees  of  Cristes  lawe  deere, 


1  Abuse.  2  This  is  an  anachronism,  for  Mohammed  was  a  small 
child  at  this  time.  3  Choose.  4  Enlargement.  6  Image  worship. 


CUSTANCE  IS  BETROTHED.  1 77 

They  been  acorded,  so  as  ye  shal  heere,  4660 
How  that  the  sowdan  and  his  baronage, 

And  alle  hise  liges,  sholde  ycristned  be, 

And  he  shal  han  Custance  in  mariage, 

And  certein  gold,  I  noot  what  quantitee  ; 

And  heer  to  founden  sufficient  suretee 
This  same  accord  was  sworn  on  eyther  syde. 
Now,  faire  Custance,  almyghty  God  thee  gyde  ! 

Now  wolde  som  men  waiten,  as  I  gesse, 

That  I  sholde  tellen  al  the  purveiance 
That  themperoure,  of  his  grete  noblesse,  4670 
Hath  shapen  1  for  his  doghter,  dame  Custance. 
Wei  may  men  knowen  that  so  greet  ordinance 
May  no  man  tellen  in  a  litel  clause, 

As  was  arrayed  for  so  heigh  a  cause. 

Bisshopes  been  shapen  with  hire  for  to  wende, 
Lordes,  ladies,  knyghtes  of  renoun, 

And  oother  folk  ynogh,  this  is  the  ende  ; 

And  notified  is  thurgh-out  the  toun 
That  every  wight,  with  greet  devocioun, 

Sholde  preyen  Crist,  that  he  this  mariage  4680 
Receyve  in  gree  2  and  spede  this  viage.3 

The  day  is  comen  of  hir  departynge  — 

I  seye,  the  woful  day  fatal  is  come, 

That  ther  may  be  no  lenger  tariynge, 

But  forthward  they  hem  dressen  alle  and  some. 
Custance,  that  was  with  sorwe  al  overcome, 

Ful  pale  arist,  and  dresseth  hire  to  wende, 

For  wel  she  seeth  ther  is  noon  oother  ende. 

1  Prepared.  2  Favor.  3  Voyage. 

12 


VOL.  I. 


178  THE  MAN  -OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Allas  !  what  wonder  is  it  thogh  she  wepte, 

That  shal  be  sent  to  strange  nacioun,  4690 
Fro  freendes  that  so  tendrely  hire  kepte, 

And  to  be  bounden  under  subjeccioun 
Of  oon  she  knoweth  nat  his  condicioun  ? 
Housbondes  been  alle  goode  and  han  ben 
yoore ; 

That  knowen  wyves,  I  dar  say  yow  na  moore. 

“  Fader,”  she  seyde,  “  thy  wrecched  child, 
Custance, 

Thy  yonge  doghter,  fostred  up  so  softe, 

And  ye,  my  mooder,  my  soverayn  plesance, 
Over  alle  thyng,  out-taken  1  Crist  on  lofte,'2 
Custance,  youre  child,  hire  recomandeth  ofte 
Un  to  your  grace ;  for  I  shal  to  Surrye,  4701 
Ne  shal  I  nevere  seen  yow  moore  with  eye. 
Allas  !  un-to  the  barbre  nacioun  (4701  t.) 
I  moste  goon,  syn  that  it  is  youre  wille  ; 

But  Crist,  that  starf  8  for  our  savacioun 
So  geve  me  grace  hise  heestes  to  fulfille ; 

I,  wrecche  womman,  no  fors  4  though  I  spille  ! 5 
Wommen  are  born  to  thraldom  and  penance 
And  to  been  under  mannes  governance.” 

I  trowe  at  Troye,  whan  Pirrus  6  brak  the  wal 
Or 7  Uion  brende,  —  at  Thebes  the  citee,  — 

1  Except.  2  High.  8  Died.  4  Matter.  5  Perish.  6  Neoptole- 
mus,  the  valorous  son  of  Achilles,  who  entered  Troy  through  the 
broken  wall,  in  the  wooden  horse,  before  the  city  was  burned.  He 
killed  Priam,  sacrificed  Polyxena,  and  married  Andromache.  Called 
also  Pyrrhus,  especially  in  the  Geste  Hystoriale  of  the  Destruction 
of  Troy  (E.  E.  Text  Society,  1S74),  book  xxix.  Cf.  Ovid,  Heroides , 
viii.  ;  A  rs  A  viator  ia,  i.  ;  Metamorphoses ,  xiii.  7  Ere.  In  this  line 
Elies.  MS.  omits  “at,”  which  is  in  the  Cambridge  MS. 


“is  ther  noon  eleccioun  ? ”  179 

Nat1  Rome,  for  the  harm  thurgh  Hanybal, 
That  Romayns  hath  venquysshed  tymes  thre, 
Nas  herd  swich  tendre  wepyng  for  pitee,  4714 
As  in  the  chambre  was  for  hire  departynge ; 
But  forth  she  moot,  wher  so  she  wepe  or  synge. 

O  firste  moevyng,  crueel  firmament, 

With  thy  diurnal  sweigh  that  crowdest  ay, 

And  hurlest  al  from  Est  til  Occident, 

That  naturelly  wolde  holde  another  way;  4720 
Thy  crowdyng  set  the  hevene  in  swich  array 
At  the  bigynnyng  of  this  tiers  viage, 

That  crueel  Mars  hath  slayn  this  mariage  ! 
Infortunat  ascendent 2  tortuous, 

Of  which  the  lord  is  helplees,  falle,  alias, 

Out  of  his  angle  2  in  to  the  derkeste  hous.2 
O  Mars,  O  Atazir,3  as  in  this  cas  ! 

O  fieble  Moone,  unhappy  been  thy  paas  ! 

Thou  knyttest  thee  ther  thou  art  nat  receyved, 
Ther  thou  were  weel,  fro  thennes  artow  weyved.4 
Imprudent  emperour  of  Rome,  alias  !  473  x 

Was  ther  no  philosophre  in  al  thy  toun  ? 

Is  no  tyme  bet  than  oother  in  swich  cas  ? 

Of  viage  is  ther  noon  eleccioun, 

Namely  to  folk  of  heigh  condicioun, 

Noght  whan  a  roote  6  is  of  a  burthe  yknowe  ? 
Allas  !  we  been  to  lewed  or  to  slowe  ! 

To  ship  is  come  this  woful,  faire  mayde, 
Solempnely,  with  every  circumstance. 

1  Nor  at  (ne  at).  2  Astrological  terms.  3  Evil  influence. 
4  Turned  aside.  6  A  radix  from  which  celestial  calculations  are 

made. 


I  SO  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

“  Now  Jhesu  Crist  be  with  yow  alle,”  she 
saycle.  474° 

Ther  nys  namoore,  but  “Farwel,  faire  Cus- 
tance !  ” 

She  peyneth  hire  to  make  good  contenance  ; 
And  forth  I  lete  hire  saille  in  this  manere, 

And  turne  I  wole  agayn  to  my  matere. 

The  mooder  of  the  sowdan,  welle 1  of  vices, 
Espied  hath  hir  sones  pleyn  entente, 

How  he  wol  lete  2  hise  olde  sacrifices  ; 

And  right  anon  she  for  hir  conseil  sente,  4748 
And  they  been  come  to  knowe  what  she  mente; 
And  whan  assembled  was  this  folk  in  feere,3 
She  sette  hire  doun  and  seyde  as  ye  shal  heere. 

“  Lordes,”  she  seyde,  “  ye  knowen  everichon, 
How  that  my  sone  in  point  is  for  to  lete 
The  hooly  lawes  of  oure  Alkaron,4  (4752  t.) 
Geven  by  Goddes  message  5  Makomete  ; 

But  oon  avow  to  grete  God  I  heete,6 
The  lyf  shal  rather  out  of  my  body  sterte, 

Than  Makometes  lawe  out  of  myn  herte  ! 

What  sholde  us  tyden  7  of  this  newe  lawe, 

But  thraldom  to  our  bodies  and  penance,  4760 
And  afterward  in  helle  to  be  drawe, 

For  we  reneyed  8  Mahoun  oure  creance  ? 9 
But,  lordes,  wol  ye  maken  assurance 
As  I  shal  seyn,  assentynge  to  my  loore, 

And  I  shal  make  us  sauf  for  evereinoore.” 

1  Source.  2  Stop.  3  Company.  4  Alcoran.  5  Messenger. 
6  Promise.  7  Betide.  8  Denied.  9  Faith. 


“  O  SOWDANESSE  !  ” 


1 8 1 


They  sworen,  and  assenten  every  man 
To  lyve  with  hire,  and  dye,  and  by  hire  stonde, 
And  everich,  in  the  beste  wise  he  kan, 

To  strengthen  hire  shal  alle  hise  frendes  fonde.1 
And  she  hath  this  emprise  ytake  on  honde  4770 
Which  ye  shal  heren  that  I  shal  devyse  ; 

And  to  hem  alle  she  spak  right  in  this  wyse  : 
“We  shul  first  feyne  us  cristendom  2  to 
take,  — 

Coold  water  shal  nat  greve  us  but  a  lite,  — 

And  I  shal  swiche  a  feeste  and  revel  make, 
That  as  I  trowe  I  shal  the  sowdan  quite ; 3 
For  thogh  his  wyf  be  cristned  never  so  white 
She  shal  have  nede  to  wasshe  awey  the  rede,4 
Thogh  she  a  font-ful  water  with  hire  lede  !  ” 

O  sowdanesse,  roote  of  iniquitee  !  4780 

Virago  thou,  Semyrame  the  secounde, 

O  serpent,  under  femynynytee, 

Lik  to  the  serpent  depe  in  helle  ybounde  ! 

O  feyned  womman,  al  that  may  confounde 
Vertu  and  innocence  thurgh  thy  malice 
Is  bred  in  thee,  as  nest  of  every  vice  ! 

O  Sathan,  envious  syn  thilke  day 

That  thou  were  chaced  from  oure  heritage, 

Wei  knowestow  to  wommen  the  olde  way  ! 
Thou  madest  Eva  brynge  us  in  servage,  4790 
Thou  wolt  fordoon  this  cristen  mariage. 

Thyn  instrument  so,  weylawey  the  while  ! 
Makestow  of  wommen  whan  thou  wolt  bigile. 

1  Try.  2  Accept  baptism.  3  Quit.  4  Red. 


1 82  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

This  sowdanesse,  whom  I  thus  blame  and 
warye,1 

Leet  prively  hire  conseil  goon  hire  way. 

What  sholde  I  in  this  tale  lenger  tarye  ? 

She  rydeth  to  the  sowdan  on  a  day, 

And  seyde  hym  that  she  wolde  reneye  hir  lay,2 
And  cristendom  of  preestes  handes  fonge,3 
Repentynge  hire  she  hethen  was  so  longe  ;  4800 
Bisechynge  hym  to  doon  hire  that  honour, 

That  she  moste  han  the  cristen  folk  to  feeste,  — 
“To  plesen  hem,  I  wol  do  my  labour.”  (4801  t.) 
The  sowdan  seith,  “  I  wol  doon  at  youre 
heeste ;  ” 

And  knelynge,  thanketh  hire  of  that  requeste ; 
So  glad  he  was  he  nyste  what  to  seye. 

She  kiste  hir  sone,  and  hoome  she  gooth  hir 
weye. 

SECOND  PART. 

Arryved  been  this  cristen  folk  to  londe 
In  Surrye,  with  a  greet  solempne  route  ;  4809 

And  hastifliche  this  sowdan  sente  his  sonde  4 
First  to  his  mooder,  and  all  the  regne  5  aboute, 
And  seyde  his  wyf  was  comen,  oute  of  doute, 
And  preyde  hire  for  to  ryde  agayn  6  the  queene, 
The  honour  of  his  regne  to  susteene. 

Greet  was  the  prees,7  and  riche  was  tharray 
Of  Surryens  and  Romayns  met  yfeere.8 


1  Abuse.  2  Deny  her  law.  3  Receive.  4  Message.  3  Kingdom. 
Towards.  7  Press.  8  In  company. 


“  O  SOWDANESSE  !  ” 


183 


The  mooder  of  the  sowdan,  riche  and  gay, 
Recyveth  hire  with  al  so  glad  a  cheere  1 
As  any  mooder  myghte  hir  doghter  deere, 

And  to  the  nexte  citee  ther  bisyde,  4820 

A  softe  paas  2  solempnely  they  ryde. 

Noght  trowe  I  the  triumphe  of  Julius,  — 

Of  which  that  Lucan  maketh  swich  a  boost,  — 
Was  roialler  or  moore  curius, 

Than  was  thassemblee  of  this  blisful  hoost ; 
Bute  3  this  scorpioun,  this  wikkecl  goost, 

The  sowdanesse,  for  all  hire  flaterynge, 

Caste  4  under  this  ful  mortally  to  stynge. 

The  sowdan  comth  hymself  soone  after  this 
So  roially,  that  wonder  is  to  telle,  4830 

And  welcometh  hire  with  alle  joye  and  blis  ; 
And  thus  in  murthe  and  joye  I  lete  hem  dwelle  ; 
The  fruyt  of  this  matiere  is  that  I  telle. 

Whan  tyrne  cam  men  thoughte  it  for  the  beste, 
The  revel  stynte  and  men  goon  to  hir  reste. 

The  tyme  cam  this  olde  sowdanesse 
Ordeyned  hath  this  feeste  of  which  I  tolde, 
And  to  the  feeste  cristen  folk  hem  dresse 
In  general,  ye,  bothe  yonge  and  olde.  4839 
Heere  may  men  feeste  and  roialtee  biholde, 
And  deyntees  mo  than  I  kan  yow  devyse, 

But  all  to  deere  they  boghte  it,  er  they  ryse. 

O  sodeyn  wo  !  that  evere  art  successour 

1  Countenance.  2  Slow  pace.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “but,”  but  the 
final  e  in  the  text  is  supported  by  O.  E.  (the  word  being  butan, 
bate I  and  by  the  Corpus  and  Petworth  MSS.,  which  add  the  tag  in¬ 
dicative  of  a  final  e,  in  this  place.  4  Planned. 


184  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

To  worldly  blisse  spreynd  1  with  bitternesse  ! 
The  ende  of  the  joye  of  oure  worldly  labour ! 
Wo  occupieth  the  fyn  2  of  oure  gladnesse. 
Herke  this  conseil,  for  thy  sikernesse,3 
Up-on  thy  glade  day  have  in  thy  mynde 
The  unwar  wo  or  harm  that  comth  bihynde. 
For  soothly  for  to  tellen,  at  o  word,  4850 

The  sowdan  and  the  cristen  everichone 
Been  al  tohewe,  and  stiked  at  the  bord, 

But 4  it  were  oonly  dame  Custance  allone. 

This  olde  sowdanesse,  cursed  krone  !  (4852  t.) 
Hath  with  hir  freendes  doon  this  cursed  dede, 
For  she  hir-self  wolde  all  the  contree  lede. 

Ne  was  Surryen  noon,  that  was  converted, 
That  of  the  conseil  of  the  sowdan  woot, 

That  he  nas  al  tohewe  er  he  asterted,5 
And  Custance  han  they  take  anon  foot-hoot 6 
And  in  a  ship  all  steerelees,  God  woot,  4861 
They  han  hir  set  and  biddeth  hire  lerne  saille 
Out  of  Surrye,  agaynward  to  Ytaille. 

A  certein  tresor  that  she  with  hire  ladde,7 
And,  sooth  to  seyn,  vitaille  greet  plentee, 

They  han  hire  geven,  and  clothes  eek  she 
hadde, 

And  forth  she  sailleth  in  the  salte  see  ! 

O  my  Custance,  ful  of  benignytee, 

O  emperours  yonge  doghter  deere,  4869 

He  that  is  lord  of  fortune  be  thy  steere  ! 8 

1  Sprinkled.  2  End.  3  Security.  4  Except.  5  Escaped. 
8  Quickly.  7  Brought.  8  Guide. 


“o  SODEYN  wo!”  185 

She  blesseth  hire,  and  with  ful  pitous  voys, 
Un-to  the  croys  of  Crist  thus  seyde  she  : 

“  O  cleere,  O  weleful 1  auter,  hooly  croys, 

Reed  2  of  the  Lambes  blood,  ful  of  pitee, 

That  wesshe  the  world  fro  the  olde  iniqui- 
tee, 

Me  fro  the  feend  and  fro  his  clawes  kepe, 

That  day  that  I  shal  drenchen  3  in  the  depe  ! 
Victorious  tree,  proteccioun  of  trewe, 

That  oonly  worthy  were  for  to  bere  4879 

The  Kyng  of  Hevene  with  his  woundes  newe, 
The  white  Lamb  that  hurt  was  with  the  spere  ; 
Flemere  4  of  feendes  out  of  hym  and  here, 

On  which  thy  lymes  feithfully  extenden, 

Me  helpe,  and  gif  me  myght  my  lyf  tamen- 
den.”  5 

Yeres  and  dayes  fleteth  this  creature 
Thurghout  the  See  of  Grece  un-to  the  Strayte 
Of  Marrok,6  as  it  was  hire  aventure. 

On  many  a  sory  meel  now  may  she  bayte  ; 7 
After  hir  deeth  ful  often  may  she  wayte, 

Er  that  the  wilde  wawes  8  wol  hire  dryve  4890 
Un-to  the  place  ther  she  shal  arryve. 

Men  myghten  asken  why  she  was  nat  slayn 
Eek  at  the  feeste,  who  myghte  hir  body  save  ? 
And  I  answere  to  that  demande  agayn, 

Who  saved  Danyel  in  the  horrible  cave, 

Ther  every  wight  save  he,  maister  and  knave, 

1  Elies.  MS  has  “  woful.”  2  Red.  3  Drown.  4  Banisher. 
s  To  amend.  6  Gibraltar  (Morocco).  "  Feed.  8  Waves. 


1 86  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Was  with  the  leoun  frete,1  er  he  asterte  ? 2 
No  wight  but  God,  that  he  bar  in  his  herte. 
God  liste  to  shewe  his  wonderful  myracle 
In  hire,  for  we  sholde  seen  his  myghty  werkis. 
Crist,  which  that  is  to  every  harm  triacle,3  4901 
By  certeine  rneenes  ofte,  as  knowen  clerkis, 
Dooth  thyng  for  certein  ende  that  ful  derk  is 
To  mannes  wit,  that  for  oure  ignorance 
Ne  konne  noght  knowe  his  prudent  purvei- 
ance.  (49 03  T.) 

Now  sith  she  was  nat  at  the  feeste  yslawe, 

Who  kepte  hire  fro  the  drenchyng  in  the  see  ? 
Who  kepte  Jonas  in  the  fisshes  mawe, 

Til  he  was  spouted  up  at  Nynyvee  ?  4909 

Wei  may  men  knowe  it  was  no  wight  but  He 
That  kepte  peple  Ebrayk  from  hir  drench- 
ynge, 

With  drye  feet  thurgh-out  the  see  passynge. 
Who  bad  the  foure  spirites  of  tempest, 

That  power  han  tanoyen  lond  and  see, 

Bothe  north  and  south,  and  also  west  and  est, 
Anoyeth  neither  see,  ne  land,  ne  tree  ? 4 
Soothly  the  comandour  of  that  was  He 
That  fro  the  tempest  ay  this  womman  kepte 
As  wel  when  she  wook  as  whan  she  slepte. 
Where  myghte  this  womman  mete  and  drynke 
have,  4920 

Thre  yeer  and  moore  ?  how  lasteth  hire  vit- 
aille  ? 


1  Devoured.  2  Escaped.  3  Remedy.  4  See  Revelation  vii.  1-3. 


“fer  in  northumberlond.”  187 

Who  fedcle  the  Egypcien  Marie  1  in  the  cave, 
Or  in  desert  ?  No  wight  but  Crist,  sanz  faille. 
Fyve  thousand  folk  it  was  as  greet  mervaille 
With  loves  fyve,  and  fisshes  two,  to  feede. 

God  sente  his  foyson  2  at  hir  grete  neede. 

She  dryveth  forth  in-to  oure  occian, 

Thurgh-out  oure  wilde  see,  til  atte  laste  4928 
Under  an  hoold,3  that  nempnen  4  I  ne  kan, 

Fer  in  Northumberlond  the.wawe  hire  caste, 
And  in  the  sond  5  hir  ship  stiked  so  faste 
That  thennes  wolde  it  noght  of  al  a  tyde.6 
The  wyl  of  Crist  was  that  she  sholde  abyde. 
The  constable  of  the  castel  doun  is  fare 
To  seen  this  wrak,  and  al  the  ship  he  soghte, 
And  foond  this  wery  womman,  ful  of  care  ; 

He  foond  also  the  tresor  that  she  broghte. 

In  hir  langage  mercy  she  bisoghte, 

The  lyf  out  of  hire  body  for  to  twynne,7  4939 
Hire  to  delivere  of  wo  that  she  was  inne. 

A  maner  Latyn  corrupt  was  hir  speche, 

But  algates  ther-by  was  she  understonde. 

The  constable,  whan  hym  lyst  no  lenger 
seche,8 

This  woful  womman  broghte  he  to  the  londe  ; 
She  kneleth  doun  and  thanketh  Goddes  sonde  ; 9 
But  what  she  was  she  wolde  no  man  seye 
For  foul  ne  fair,  thogh  that  she  sholde  deye. 

1  Mary  of  Egypt  is  said  to  have  been  miraculously  sustained,  in 
the  Wilderness  beyond  the  Jordan,  forty-eight  years.  She  is  one  of 
the  penitents  who  intercede  for  the  soul  of  Margaret  in  Goethe's 
Faust,  Second  Part,  act  v.,  sc.'  7.  2  Plenty.  3  A  fortification 

4  Name.  5  Sand.  8  Time.  7  Separate.  8  Search.  8  Decree. 


1 88  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

She  seyde  she  was  so  mazed  in  the  see 
That  she  forgat  hir  mynde,  by  hir  trouthe. 

The  constable  hath  of  hire  so  greet  pitee,  4950 
And  eke  his  wyf,  that  they  wepen  for  routhe. 
She  was  so  diligent,  with-outen  slouthe,  (4950  t.) 
To  serve  and  plese  everich  in  that  place, 

That  alle  hir  loven  that  looken  in  hir  face. 

This  constable  and  dame  Hermengyld,  his 
wyf, 

Were  payens,1  and  that  contree  every-where  ; 
But  Hermengyld  loved  hire  right  as  hir  lyf, 
And  Custance  hath  so  longe  sojourned  there, 
In  orisons  with  many  a  bitter  teere,  4959 
Til  Jhesu  hath  converted,  thurgh  his  grace, 
Dame  Hermengyld,  constablesse  of  that  place. 
In  al  that  lond  no  cristen  dorste  route,2 
Alle  cristen  folk  been  fled  fro  that  contree, 
Thurgh  payens,  that  conquereden  al  aboute 
The  plages  3  of  the  North  by  land  and  see. 

To  Walys  fledde  the  cristyanytee 
Of  olde  Britons  dwellynge  in  this  ile  ; 

Ther  was  hir  refut  for  the  meene  while. 

But  yet  nere  4  cristene  Britons  so  exiled  4969 
That  ther  nere  somme,  that  in  hir  privetee 
Honoured  Crist,  and  hethen  folk  bigiled  ; 

And  ny  the  castel  swiche  ther  dwelten  three. 
That  oon  of  hem  was  blynd  and  myghte  nat 
see, 

But  it  were  with  thilke  eyen  of  his  mynde, 


1  Pagans.  2  Assemble,  come.  3  Regions.  4  Were  not. 


A  STROLL  BY  THE  SEA.  1 89 

With  whiche  men  seen  whan  that  they  ben 
blynde. 

Bright  was  the  sonne,  as  in  that  someres 
day, 

For  which  the  constable  and  his  wyf  also, 

And  Custance,  han  ytake  the  righte  way 
Toward  the  see,  a  furlong  wey  or  two, 

To  pleyen  and  to  romen  to  and  fro;  4980 

And  in  hir  walk  this  blynde  man  they  mette, 
Croked  and  oold,  with  eyen  faste  yshete. 

“  In  name  of  Crist,”  cride  this  olde  Britoun, 

“  Dame  Hermengyld,  gif  me  my  sighte  agayn !  ” 
This  lady  wreex  affrayed  of  the  soun, 

Lest  that  hir  housbonde,  shortly  for  to  sayn, 
Wrolde  hire  for  Jhesu  Cristes  love  han  slayn ; 
Til  Custance  made  hire  boold,  and  bad  hire 
wirche 1  4988 

The  wyl  of  Crist  as  doghter  of  his  chirche. 

The  constable  weex  abasshed  of  that  sight, 
And  seyde,  “  What  amounteth  all  this  fare  !  ” 
Custance  answerde,  “  Sire,  it  is  Cristes  myght 
That  helpeth  folk  out  of  the  feendes  snare  :  ” 
And  so  ferforth  she  gan  oure  lay  2  declare, 

That  she  the  constable,  er  that  it  wrere  eve, 
Converteth,  and  on  Crist  maketh  hym  bileve. 
This  constable  wras  no-thyng  lord  of  this  place 
Of  which  I  speke,  ther  he  Custance  fond, 

But  kepte  it  strongly,  many  wyntres  space, 
Under  Alla,3  kyng  of  al  Northhumbrelond, 

1  Work.  2  Law.  8  He  ruled  from  a.  d.  560  to  a.  d.  588. 


190  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

That  was  ful  wys  and  worthy  of  his  hond,  5001 
Agayn  the  Scottes,  as  men  may  wel  heere ; 

But  turne  I  wole  agayn  to  my  mateere.  (5001  T.) 

Sathan,  that  evere  us  waiteth  to  bigile, 

Saugh  of  Custance  al  hire  perfeccioun, 

And  caste  anon  how  he  myghte  quite  hir  while, 
And  made  a  yong  knyght,  that  dwelte  in  that 
toun, 

Love  hire  so  hoote,  of  foul  affeccioun, 

That  verraily  hym  thoughte  he  sholde  spille  1 
But  he  of  hire  myghte  ones  have  his  wille.  5010 
He  woweth  2  hire,  but  it  availleth  noght, 

She  wolde  do  no  synne  by  no  weye, 

And  for  despit  he  compassed  in  his  thoght 
To  maken  hire  on  shameful  deeth  to  deye. 

He  wayteth 3  whan  the  constable  was  aweye 
And  pryvely  up-on  a  nyght  he  crepte 
In  Hermengyldes  chambre  whil  she  slepte. 
Wery,  for-waked,  in  hire  orisouns, 

Slepeth  Custance,  and  Hermengyld  also. 

This  knyght,  thurgh  Sathanas  temptaciouns, 
All  softely  is  to  the  bed  ygo,  5021 

And  kitte 4  the  throte  of  Hermengyld  atwo, 
And  leyde  the  blody  knyf  by  dame  Custance, 
And  wente  his  wey,  ther  God  geve  hym  mes- 
chance ! 

Soone  after  cometh  this  constable  hoorn  agayn, 
And  eek  Alla,  that  kyng  was  of  that  lond, 

And  saugh  his  wyf  despitously  yslayn, 

1  Perish.  2  Wooeth.  3  Watcheth.  4  Cut. 


CUSTANCE  IS  ACCUSED.  1 9  I 

For  which  ful  ofte  he  weepe  and  wroong  his 
hond, 

And  in  the  bed  the  blody  knyf  he  fond 
By  dame  Custance  ;  alias !  what  myghte  she 
seye?  5°3° 

For  verray  wo,  hir  wit  was  al  aweye. 

To  kyng  Alla  was  toold  al  this  meschance 
And  eek  the  tyme,  and  where,  and  in  what 
wise  ] 

That  in  a  ship  was  founden  dame  Custance, 

As  heer  biforn  that  ye  han  herd  devyse. 

The  kynges  herte  of  pitee  gan  agryse,1 
Whan  he  saugh  so  benigne  a  creature 
Falle  in  disese,  and  in  mysaventure : 

For  as  the  lomb  toward  his  deeth  is  broght, 

So  stant  this  innocent  bifore  the  kyng.  5040 
This  false  knyght,  that  hath  this  tresoun  wroght, 
Berth  hire  on  hond  2  that  she  hath  doon  thvs 

J 

thyng ; 

But  nathelees,  ther  was  greet  moornyng 
Among  the  peple,  and  seyn  3  they  kan  nat  gesse 
That  she  had  doon  so  greet  a  wikkednesse  : 
For  they  han  seyn  4  hire  evere  sovertuous, 

And  lovynge  Flermengyld  right  as  hir  lyf. 

Of  this  baar  witnesse  everich  in  that  hous,  5048 
Save  he  that  Hermengyld  slow  with  his  knyf. 
This  gentil  kyng  hath  caught  a  greet  motyf 
Of  this  witnesse,  and  thoghte  he  wolde  enquere 
Depper  in  this,  a  trouthe  for  to  lere.5  (5050  t.) 


1  Shudder.  2  Accuseth.  3  Say.  4  Seen.  5  Learn. 


192  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Allas  !  Custance,  thou  hast  no  champioun, 
Ne  fighte  kanstow  noght,  so  weylaway! 

But  he  that  starf  1  for  our  redempcioun, 

And  boond  Sathan, —  and  yet  lith  ther  he  lay,  — 
So  be  thy  stronge  champion  this  day  ; 

For,  but  if  Crist  open  myracle  kithe,2 
Withouten  gilt,  thou  shalt  be  slayn  as  swithe.3 
She  sit  hire  doun  on  knees  and  thus  she  sayde  : 
“  Immortal  God  that  savedest  Susanne  5061 
Fro  fals  blame,  and  thou  merciful  mayde, 

Mary  I  meene,  doghter  to  Seint  Anne, 

Bifore  whos  child  angeles  synge  Osanne, 

If  I  be  giltlees  of  this  felonye 
My  socour  be,  or  ellis  shal  I  dye  !  ” 

Have  ye  nat  seyn  som  tyme  a  pale  face 
Among  a  prees,  of  hym  that  hath  be  lad 
Toward  his  deeth,  wher  as  hym  gat  no  grace  ? 
And  swich  a  colour  in  his  face  hath  had,  5070 
Men  myghte  knowe  his  face  that  was  bistad,4 
Amonges  alle  the  faces  in  that  route ; 

So  stant  Custance,  and  looketh  hire  aboute. 

O  queenes,  lyvynge  in  prosperitee! 
Duchesses,  and  ladyes  everichone  ! 

Haveth  som  routhe  on  hire  adversitee. 

An  emperoures  doghter  stant  allone  ; 

She  hath  no  wight  to  whom  to  make  hir  mone  ! 
O  blood  roial,  that  stondest  in  this  drede, 

Fer  been5  thy  freendes  at  thy  grete  nede !  5080 
This  Alla,  kyng,  hath  swich  compassioun, 

1  Died.  2  Show.  3  Quickly.  4  Bestead.  B  Are. 


“  THOU  HAST  DESCLAUNDRED.”  I93 

As  gen  til  herte  is  fulfild  of  pitee, 

That  from  hise  eyen  ran  the  water  doun. 

“  Now  hastily  do  fecche  a  book,”  quod  he, 

“  And  if  this  knyght  wol  sweren  how  that  she 
This  womman  slow,  yet  wol  we  us  avyse 
Whom  that  we  wole  that  shal  been  our  jus- 
tise.” 

A  Briton  book  written  with  Evaungiles 
Was  fet,1  and  on  this  book  he  swoor  anoon 
She  gilty  was,  and  in  the  meene  whiles  5090 
An  hand  hym  smoot  upon  the  nekke  boon, 
That  doun  he  fil  atones  as  a  stoon ; 

And  bothe  hise  eyen  broste  2  out  of  his  face 
In  sighte  of  every  body  in  that  place  ! 

A  voys  was  herd  in  general  audience 
And  seyde,  “  Thou  hast  desclaundred,  giltlees, 
The  doghter  of  hooly  chirche  in  heigh  presence ; 
Thus  hastou  doon,  and  yet  holde  I  my  pees  !  ” 
Of  this  mervaille  agast  was  al  the  prees  ; 

As  mazed  folk  they  stoden  everichone,  5100 
For  drede  of  wreche,3  save  Custance  allone. 

Greet  was  the  drede,  and  eek  the  repentance, 
Of  hem  that  hadden  wronge  suspecioun 
Upon  this  sely,4  innocent  Custance;  (5102  t.) 
And  for  this  miracle,  in  conclusioun, 

And  by  Custances  mediacioun, 

The  kyng,  and  many  another  in  that  place, 
Converted  was,  —  thanked  be  Cristes  grace  ! 
This  false  knyght  was  slayn  for  his  untrouthe 

1  Fetched.  2  Burst.  3  Vengeance.  4  Simple. 

VOL.  I.  13 


194  the  MAN  0F  law's  tale. 

By  juggement  of  Alla,  hastifly  ;  5 no 

And  yet  Custance  hadde  of  his  deeth  greet 
routhe  ; 

And  after  this  Jhesus,  of  his  mercy, 

Made  Alla  wedden,  ful  solempnely, 

This  hooly  mayden,  that  is  so  bright  and 
sheene ; 

And  thus  hath  Crist  ymaad  Custance  a  queene. 

But  who  was  woful  —  if  I  shal  nat  lye  — 

Of  this  weddyng  but  Donegikl  and  na  mo, 

The  kynges  mooder,  ful  of  tirannye  ? 

Hir  thoughte  hir  cursed  herte  brast  atwo,  — 
She  wolde  noght  hir  sone  had  do  so.  5120 
Hir  thoughte  a  despit  that  he  sholde  take 
So  strange  a  creature  un-to  his  make.1 

Me  list  nat  of  the  chaf,  or  of  the  stree,2 
Maken  so  long  a  tale  as  of  the  corn. 

What  sholde  I  tellen  of  the  roialtee 
At  mariage,  or  which  cours  goth  biforn, 

Who  bloweth  in  the  trumpe,  or  in  an  horn  ? 

The  fruyt  of  every  tale  is  for  to  seye, 

They  ete,  and  drynke,  and  daunce,  and  synge 
and  pleye. 

They  goon  to  bedde,  as  it  was  skile  3  and  right, 
For  thogh  that  wyves  be  ful  hooly  thynges, 
They  moste  take  in  pacience  at  nyght  5132 
Swiche  manere  necessaries  as  been  plesynges 
To  folk  that  han  y wedded  hem  with  rynges, 
And  leye  a  lite  hir  hoolynesse  aside, 

1  Mate.  2  Straw.  3  Reasonable. 


“my  lady  queene  hath  child.”  195 

As  for  the  tyme, — it  may  no  bet  bitide. 

On  hire  he  gat  a  knave  1  childe  anon, 

And  to  a  bisshop,  and  his  constable  eke, 

He  took  his  wyf  to  kepe  whan  he  is  gon 
To  Scotlondward  his  foomen  for  to  seke.  5140 
Now  faire  Custance,  that  is  so  humble  and 
meke, 

So  longe  is  goon  with  childe,  til  that  stille 
She  halt  hire  chambre  abidyng  Cristes  wille. 
The  tyme  is  come  a  knave  child  she  beer,  — 
Mauricius  at  the  fontstoon  they  hym  calle. 

This  constable  dooth 2  forth  come  a  messageer, 
And  wroot  un-to  his  kyng,  that  cleped  was  Alle, 
How  that  this  blisful  tidyng  is  bifalle, 

And  othere  tidynges  spedeful  for  to  seye.  5149 
He  taketh  the  lettre  and  forth  he  gooth  his 
weye. 

This  messager,  to  doon  his  avantage, 

Un-to  the  kynges  mooder  rideth  swithe,  (5150  t.) 
And  salueth  hire  ful  faire  in  his  langage  : 
“Madame,”  quod  he,  “ye  may  be  glad  and 
blithe 

And  thanketh  God  an  hundred  thousand  sithe, 
My  lady  queene  hath  child  with-outen  doute 
To  joye  and  blisse  to  al  this  regne  aboute. 

Lo,  heere  the  lettres  seled  of  this  thyng, 

That  I  moot  bere  with  al  the  haste  I  may. 

If  ye  wol  aught  un-to  youre  sone  the  kyng,  5160 
I  am  youre  servant  bothe  nyght  and  day.” 


1  Man. 


2  Maketh. 


I96  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Donegild  answerde,  “As  now,  at  this  tyme,  nay ; 
But  heere  al  nyght  I  wol  thou  take  thy  reste. 
To-morwe  wol  I  seye  thee  what  me  leste.” 

This  messager  drank  sadly1  ale  and  wyn, 
And  stolen  were  hise  lettres  pryvely, 

Out  of  his  box  whil  he  sleep  as  a  swyn, 

And  countrefeted  was  ful  subtilly 
Another  lettre,  wroght  ful  synfully, 

Un-to  the  kyng  direct,  of  this  mateere,  5170 
Fro  his  constable,  as  ye  shal  after  heere. 

The  lettre  spak,  the  queene  delivered  was 
Of  so  horrible  a  feendly  creature, 

That  in  the  castel  noon  so  hardy  was 
That  any  while  dorste  ther  endure. 

The  mooder  was  an  elf,  by  aventure,2 
Yeomen  by  charmes,  or  by  sorcerie, 

And  everich  hateth  hir  compaignye. 

Wo  was  this  kyng  whan  he  this  lettre  had 
sayn, 

But  to  no  wight  he  tolde  his  sorwes  soore, 

But  of  his  owene  hand  he  wroot  agayn  :  5181 

“  Wel-come  the  sonde  3  of  Crist  for  everemoore, 
To  me  that  am  now  lerned  in  his  loore  ! 

Lord,  wel-come  be  thy  lust  and  thy  plesaunce  \ 
My  lust  I  putte  al  in  thyn  ordinaunce. 

Kepeth  this  child,  al  be  it  foul  or  feir, 

And  eek  my  wyf  un-to  myn  hoom-comynge  ; 
Crist  whan  hym  list  may  sende  me  an  heir 
Moore  agreable  than  this  to  my  likynge.” 

1  Steadily,  continuously.  2  Perchance.  3  Thing  sent. 


THE  SECOND  FORGED  LETTER.  I97 

This  lettre  he  seleth,  pryvely  wepynge,  5190 
Which  to  the  messager  was  take  soone, 

And  forth  he  gooth  ;  ther  is  na  moore  to  doone. 

O  messager,  fulfild  of  dronkenesse  ! 

Strong  is  thy  breeth,  thy  lymes  faltren  ay, 

And  thou  biwreyest1  alle  secreenesse. 

Thy  mynde  is  lorn,  thou  janglest  as  a  jay  ; 

Thy  face  is  turned  in  a  newe  array  ! 

Ther  dronkenesse  regneth  in  any  route,2 
Ther  is  no  conseil  hyd,  with-outen  doute. 

O  Donegild  !  I  ne  have  noon  Englissh  digne 
Un-to  thy  malice  and  thy  tirannye,  5201 

And  therfore  to  the  feend  I  thee  resigne, 

Lat  hym  enditen  of  thy  traitorie  !  (5201  T.) 

Fy,  mannysh,  fy,  —  O  nay,  by  God,  I  lye,  — 

Fy ,feendlych  spirit,  for  I  dar  wel  telle, 

Thogh  thou  heere  walke,  thy  spirit  is  in  helle. 

This  messager  comth  fro  the  kyng  agayn, 
And  at  the  kynges  moodres  court  he  lighte  ; 
And  she  was  of  this  messager  ful  fayn,  5209 
And  plesed  hym,  in  al  that  ever  she  myghte. 
He  drank,  and  wel  his  girdel  underpighte  ; 3 
He  slepeth,  and  he  snoreth  in  his  gyse 
All  nyghte,  til  the  sonne  gan  aryse. 

Eft 4  were  hise  lettres  stolen  everychon, 

And  countrefeted  lettres  in  this  wyse : 

“  The  king  comandeth  his  constable  anon, 

Up  peyne  of  hangyng,  and  on  heigh  juyse,6 
That  he  ne  sholde  suffren,  in  no  wyse, 

1  Betrayest.  2  Body.  3  Stuffed.  4  Again.  5  Judgment. 


198  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Custance  in-with  his  reawme  1  for  tabyde 
Thre  dayes  and  o  quarter  of  a  tyde  ;  5220 

But  in  the  same  ship  as  he  hire  fond, 

Hire,  and  hir  yonge  sone,  and  al  hir  geere 
He  sholde  putte,  and  croude  hire  fro  the  lond, 
And  chargen  hire  she  never  eft  coome  theere  !  ” 
O  my  Custance,  wel  may  thy  goost  have  feere, 
And  slepynge  in  thy  dreem  been  in  penance, 
Whan  Donegild  cast  al  this  ordinance. 

This  messager  on  morwe,  whan  he  wook, 
Un-to  the  castel  halt  the  nexte  2  way, 

And  to  the  constable  he  the  lettre  took;  5230 
And  whan  that  he  this  pitous  lettre  say, 

Ful  ofte  he  seyde,  “  Allas  !  and  weylaway  ! 

Lord  Crist,”  quod  he,  “  how  may  this  world 
endure  ? 

So  ful  of  synne  is  many  a  creature  ! 

“  O  myghty  God,  if  that  it  be  thy  wille, 

Sith  thou  art  rightful  juge,  how  may  it  be 
That  thou  wolt  suffren  innocentz  to  spille,3 
And  wikked  folk  regnen  in  prosperitee  ? 

O  goode  Custance  !  Allas,  so  wo  is  me, 

That  I  moot  be  thy  tormentour  or  deye  5240 
On  shames  deeth,  ther  is  noon  oother  weye.” 
Wepen  bothe  yonge  and  olde  in  al  that 
place, 

Whan  that  the  kyng  this  cursed  lettre  sente, 
And  Custance,  with  a  deedly  pale  face, 

The  fertile  day  toward  the  ship  she  wente  ; 


1  Kingdom,  French  royaume.  -  Nearest.  3  Perish. 


“pees,  litel  sone!” 


l99 


But  nathelees  she  taketh  in  good  entente 
The  wyl  of  Crist,  and  knelynge  on  the  stronde, 
She  seyde,  “  Lord,  ay  wel-come  be  thy  sonde  ; 1 
He  that  me  kepte  fro  the  false  blame, 

While  I  was  on  the  lond  amonges  yow,  5250 
He  kan  me  kepe  from  harm,  and  eek  fro 
shame, 

In  salte  see,  al  thogh  I  se  noght  how.  (5250  t.) 
As  strong  as  evere  he  was  he  is  yet  now. 

In  hym  triste  I,  and  in  his  mooder  deere,  — 
That  is  to  me  my  seyl,2  and  eek  my  steere.”  3 
Hir  litel  child  lay  wepyng  in  hir  arm, 

And  knelynge,  pitously  to  hym  she  seyde,4 
“  Pees,  litel  sone,  I  wol  do  thee  noon  harm  !  ” 
With  that  hir  kerchef 5  of  hir  heed  she  breyde,6 
And  over  hise  litel  eyen  she  it  leyde,  5260 
And  in  hir  arm  she  lulleth  it  ful  faste, 

And  in-to  hevene  hire  eyen  up  she  caste. 

“  Mooder,”  quod  she,  “  and  mayde,  bright 
Marie, 

Sooth  is  that  thurgh  wommanes  eggement 7 
Man-kynde  was  lorn,  and  damned  ay  to  dye, 
For  which  thy  child  was  on  a  croys  yrent,  — 
Thy  blisful  eyen  sawe  al  his  torment,  — 
Thanne  is  ther  no  comparison  bitwene 
Thy  wo  and  any  wo  man  may  sustene.  5269 
Thow  sawe  thy  child  yslayn  bifore  thyne  eyen, 
And  yet  now  lyveth  my  litel 8  child,  parfay  ! 

1  Thing  sent.  2  Sail.  3  Guide.  4  Cf.  1.  12,891,  etc.  5  Elies.  MS. 
has  “  coverchief.”  6  Drew.  7  Instigation.  8  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


200  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

Now,  lady  bright,  to  whom  alle  woful  cryen, — 
Thow  glorie  of  wommanhede,  thow  faire  May, 
Thow  haven  of  refut,1  brighte  sterre  of  day, — 
Rewe  on  2  my  child,  that  of  thy  gentillesse 
Ruest  on  every  reweful  in  distresse. 

“  O  litel  child,  alias !  what  is  thy  gilt, 

That  nevere  wroghtest  synne  as  yet ,  pardee? 
Why  wil  thyn  harde  fader  han  thee  spilt  ? 3 
O  mercy,  deere  constable,”  quod  she,  5280 
“  As  lat  my  litel  child  dwelle  heer  with  thee  ; 
And  if  thou  darst  nat  saven  hym  for  blame, 

Yet  kys  hym  ones  in  his  fadres  name  !  ” 

Ther  with  she  looked  bakward  to  the  londe, 
And  seyde,  “Fare-wel,  housbonde  routhelees  !  ” 
And  up  she  rist,  and  walketh  doun  the  stronde 
Toward  the  ship,  —  hir  folweth  al  the  prees, — 
And  evere  she  preyeth  hire  child  to  hold  his 
pees ; 

And  taketh  hir  leve,  and  with  an  hooly  en¬ 
tente, 

She  blissed 4  hire  and  in-to  ship  she  wente. 

Vitailled  was  the  ship,  it  is  no  drede,  5291 
Habundantly  for  hire  ful  longe  space  ; 

And  othere  necessaries  that  sholde  nede 
She  hadde  ynogh,  heryed  5  be  Goddes  grace  ! 
Forwynd  and  weder,  almyghty  God  purchace  ! 6 
And  brynge  hire  hoom,  I  kan  no  bettre  seye  ; 
But  in  the  see  she  dryveth  forth  hir  weye. 

1  Refuge.  2  Pity.  3  Destroyed.  4  Crossed.  5  Praised.  e  Pro¬ 
vide. 


donegild’s  end. 


201 


THIRD  PART. 

Alla  the  kyng  comth  hoom  soone  after  this 
Un-to  his  castel  of  the  which  I  tolde, 

And  asketh  where  his  wyf  and  his  child  is  ? 

The  constable  gair  aboute  his  herte  colde  1 5301 
And  pleynly  al  the  manere  he  hym  tolde, 

As  ye  han  herd,  —  I  kan  telle  it  no-bettre,  — 
And  sheweth  the  kyng  his  seele  and  his  lettre  ; 
And  seyde,  “  Lord,  as  ye  comanded  me, 

Up  peyne  of  deeth,  so  have  I  doon  certein.” 
This  messager  tormented  was  til  he  (5305  t.) 
Moste  biknowe,2  and  tellen  plat  and  pleyn, 

Fro  nyght  to  nyght  in  what  place  he  had  leyn  ; 
And  thus  by  wit  and  sobtil  enquerynge  5310 
Ymagined  was  by  whom  this  harm  gan 
sprynge. 

The  hand  was  knowe  that  the  lettre  wroot, 
And  all  the  venym  of  this  cursed  dede ; 

But  in  what  wise  certeinly  I  noot. 

Theffect  is  this,  that  Alla,  out  of  drede,8 
His  mooder  slow,  —  that  may  men  pleynly 
rede,  — 

For  that  she  traitoure  was  to  hire  ligeance. 
Thus  endeth  olde  Donegild  with  meschance. 

The  sorwe  that  this  Alla  nyght  and  day 
Maketh  for  his  wyf,  and  for  his  child  also, 

Ther  is  no  tonge  that  it  telle  may  ;  5321 


1  To  grow  cold.  2  Must  make  known.  2  You  may  be  sure. 


202  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

But  now  wol  I  un-to  Custance  go, 

That  fleteth  in  the  see  in  peyne  and  wo 
Fyve  veer  and  moore,  as  liked  Cristes  sonde,1 
Er  that  hir  ship  approched  un-to  the  londe. 

Under  an  hethen  castel  atte  laste,  — 

Of  which  the  name  I  in  my  text  noght  fynde,  — 
Custance,  and  eek  hir  child,  the  see  up  caste. 
Almyghty  God,  that  saved  al  mankynde, 

Have  on  Custance  and  on  hir  child  soni 
mynde,  5330 

That  fallen  is  in  hethen  hand  eft  soon 
In  point  to  spille,2  as  I  shal  telle  yow  soone. 

Doun  fro  the  castel  comth  ther  many  a  wight, 
To  gauren  3  on  this  ship,  and  on  Custance ; 

But,  shortly,  from  the  castel  on  a  nyght, 

The  lordes  styward,  —  God  geve  him  mes- 
chance ! — 

A  theef,  that  hackle  reneyed  oure  creance,4 
Came  in-to  the  ship  allone,  and  seyde  he  sholde 
Hir  lemman  5  be,  wher-so  she  wolde  or  nolde. 

Wo  was  this  wrecched  womman  tho  bison  ; 6 
Hir  childe  cride,  and  she  cride  pitously  ;  5341 
But  blisful  Marie  heelp  hire  right  anon, 

For  with  hir  struglyng  wel  and  myghtily, 

The  theef  fil  over  borcl  al  socleynly, 

And  in  the  see  he  dreynte  7  for  vengeance  ; 

And  thus  hath  Crist  unwemmed 8  kept  Cus- 
tance  ! 


1  Decree.  2  Perish.  3  Gaze.  4  Denied  our  faith.  6  Paramour. 
3  Wobegone  =  surrounded  with  woe.  7  Drowned.  8  Unspotted. 


“  O  FOULE  LUST  OF  LUXURIE  !  ”  203 

O  foule  lust  of  luxurie,  lo,  thyn  encle  ! 

Nat  oonly  that  thou  feyntest  mannes  mynde, 
But  verraily  thou  wolt  his  body  shende.1  5349 
Thende  of  thy  werk,  or  of  thy  lustes  blynde, 

Is  compleynyng.  Hou  many  oon  may  men 
fynde 

That  noght  for  werk  som  tyme,  but  for  then- 
tente  (5350  t.) 

To  doon  this  synne,  been  outher  slayn  or 
shente. 

How  may  this  wayke 2  womman  han  this 
strengthe 

Hire  to  defende  agayn  this  renegat  ? 

O  Golias,  unmeasurable  of  lengthe, 

Hou  myghte  David  make  thee  so  maat  ? 3 
So  yong  and  of  armure  so  desolaat, 

Hou  dorste  he  looke  up-on  thy  dredful  face  ? 
Wei  may  men  seen  it  nas»but  Goddes  grace. 

Who  gaf  Judith  corage  or  hardynesse  5361 
To  sleen  hym  Oloferne  in  his  tente, 

And  to  deliveren  out  of  wrecchednesse 
The  peple  of  God  ?  I  seye  for  this  entente, 
That  right  as  God  spirit  of  vigour  sente 
To  hem,  and  saved  hem  out  of  meschance, 

So  sente  he  myght  and  vigour  to  Custance. 
Forth  gooth  hir  ship  thurgh  out  the  narwe 
mouth 

Of  Jubaltare  and  Septe,4  dryvynge  alway, 

Som  tyme  West  and  som  tyme  North  and  South, 


1  Ruin.  2  Weak.  3  Struck  dead.  4  Opposite  Gibraltar. 


204  THE  MAN  OF  law’s  tale. 

And  som  tyme  Est,  ful  many  a  wery  day,  5371 
Til  Cristes  mooder  —  blessed  be  she  ay  !  — 
Hath  shapen,  thurgh  hir  endelees  goodnesse, 
To  make  an  ende  of  al  hir  hevynesse. 

Now  lat  us  stynte  of  Custance  but  a  throwe,1 
And  speke  we  of  the  Romayn  emperour, 

That  out  of  Surrye  hath  by  lettres  knowe 
The  slaughtre  of  cristen  folk,  and  dishonour 
Doon  to  his  doghter  by  a  fals  traytour,  — 

I  mene  the  cursed  wikked  sowdanesse,  5380 
That  at  the  feeste  leet  sleen  both  moore  and 
lesse ; 

For  which  this  emperour  hath  sent  anon 
His  senatour  with  roial  ordinance, 

And  othere  lordes,  God  woot  many  oon, 

On  Surryens  to  taken  heigh  vengeance. 

They  brennen,  sleen,  and  brynge  hem  to  mes- 
chance  • 

Ful  many  a  day,  but,  shortly,  this  is  thende, 
Homward  to  Rome  they  shapen  hem  to  wende. 

This  senatour  repaireth  with  victorie 
To  Rome-ward,  saillynge  ful  roially,  539° 
In  which  Custance  sit  ful  pitously. 

And  mette  the  ship  dryvynge,  as  seith  the  sto- 
rie, 

No  thyng  ne 2  knew  he  what  she  was,  ne  why 
She  was  in  swich  array  ;  ne  she  nyl  seye  3 
Of  hire  estaate,  thogh  she  sholde  deye. 

He  bryngeth  hire  to  Rome,  and  to  his  wyf 

1  While.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Tell. 


KING  ALLA  GOES  TO  ROME.  205 

He  gaf  hire,  and  hir  yonge  sone  also ; 

And  with  the  senatour  she  ladde  hir  lyf. 

Thus  kan  oure  lady  bryngen  out  of  wo 
Woful  Custance  and  many  another  mo  ;  5400 

And  longe  tyme  dwelled  she  in  that  place 
In  hooly  werkes  evere,  as  was  hir  grace. 

The  senatoures  wyf  hir  aunte  was,  (5401  t.) 
But  for  all  that  she  knew  hire  never  the  moore. 
I  wol  no  lenger  tarien  in  this  cas, 

But  to  kyng  Alla,  which  I  spake  of  yoore, 

That  wepeth  for  his  wyf  and  siketh  1  soore, 

I  wol  retourne,  and  lete  I  wol  Custance 
Under  the  senatoures  governance. 

Kyng  Alla,  which  that  hadde  his  mooder 
slayn,  5410 

Up-on  a  day  fil  in  swich  repentance, 

That,  if  I  shortly  tellen  shal  and  playn, 

To  Rome  he  comth  to  receyven  his  penance, 
And  putte  hym  in  the  popes  ordinance, 

In  heigh  and  logh  ;  and  Jhesu  Crist  bisoghte 
Forgeve  his  wikked  werkes  that  he  wroghte. 

The  fame  anon  thurgh-out  the  toun  is  born, 
How  Alla,  kyng,  shal  comen  on  pilgrymage, 

By  herbergeours  2  that  wenten  hym  biforn, 

For  which  the  senatour,  as  was  usage,  5420 
Rood  hym  agayns,3  and  many  of  his  lynage, 

As  wel  to  shewen  his  heighe  magnificence, 

As  to  doon  any  kyng  a  reverence. 

Greet  cheere  dooth  this  noble  senatour 


1  Sigheth.  2  Providers  of  lodgings,  harbingers.  3  Towards. 


20 6  THE  MAN  OF  LAW’S  TALE. 

To  kyng  Alla,  and  he  to  hym  also  ; 

Everich  of  hem  dooth  oother  greet  honour  ; 
And  so  bifel  that  in 1  a  day  or  two 
This  senatour  is  to  kyng  Alla  go 
To  feste,  and,  shortly,  if  I  shal  nat  lye, 
Custances  sone  wente  in  his  compaignye.  5430 
Som  men  wolde  seyn  at  requeste  of  Cus- 
tance 

This  senatour  hath  lad  this  child  to  feeste,  — 

I  may  nat  tellen  every  circumstance ; 

Be  as  be  may,  ther  was  he  at  the  leeste  ; 

But  sooth  is  this,  that  at  his  moodres  heeste 
Biforn  Alla,  durynge  the  metes  space,2 
The  child  stood,  lookynge  in  the  kynges  face. 
This  Alla  kyng  hath  of  this  child  greet  won¬ 
der, 

And  to  the  senatour  he  seyde  anon, 

“  Whos  is  that  faire  child,  that  stondeth  yon¬ 
der  ? ”  5440 

“  I  noot,”  quod  he,  “  by  God  and  by  Seint 
John  ! 

A  mooder  he  hath,  but  fader  hath  he  noon, 
That  I  of  woot ;  ”  but  shortly,  in  a  stounde  3 
He  tolde  Alla  how  that  this  child  was  founde  ; 
“  But  God  woot,”  quod  this  senatour  also, 

“  So  vertuous  a  lyvere  in  my  lyf 
Ne  saugh  I  nevere  as  she,  ne  herde  of  mo, 

Of  worldly  wonnnen,  mayde  ne  of  wyf ; 

I  dar  wel  seyn  hir  hadde  levere  a  knyf 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “in  with.”  2  Between  courses.  3  Short  space. 


“ALLA  SAUGH  HIS  WYF.”  207 

Thurgh  out  hir  brest,  than  ben  a  womman 
wikke;  5450 

There  is  no  man  koude  brynge  hire  to  that 
prikke.”  1 

Now  was  this  child  as  lyke  un-to  Custance 
As  possible  is  a  creature  to  be.  (545 1  T-) 

This  Alla  hath  the  face  in  remembrance 
Of  dame  Custance,  and  ther-on  mused  he, 

If  that  the  childes  mooder  were  aught 2  she 
That  is  his  wyf,  and  pryvely  he  sighte,3 
And  spedde  hym  fro  the  table  that  he  myghte. 
“  Parfay  !  ”  thoghte  he,  “fantome4  is  in  myn 
heed  ! 

I  oghte  deme  of  skilful 5  juggement,  5460 
That  in  the  salte  see  my  wyf  is  deed  j  ” 

And  afterward  he  made  his  argument, 

“  What  woot  I,  if  that  Crist  have  hyder  ysent 
My  wyf  by  see,  as  wel  as  he  hire  sente 
To  my  contree  fro  thennes  that  she  wente  ?  ” 
And  after  noon,  hoom  with  the  senatour 
Goth  Alla,  for  to  seen  this  wonder  chaunce. 
This  senatour  dooth  Alla  greet  honour, 

And  hastifly  he  sente  after  Custaunce  ;  5469 

But  trusteth  6  weel  hire  liste  nat  to  daunce, 
Whan  that  she  wiste  wherfore  was  that  sonde  ;7 
Unnethe  8  up-011  hir  feet  she  myghte  stonde. 

Whan  Alla  saugh  his  wyf,  faire  he  hire  grette, 
And  weep,  that  it  was  routhe  for  to  see ; 


1  Point.  2  At  all.  3  Sighed.  4  Fancy.  5  Reasonable. 
8  Trust  ye.  7  Summons.  8  Scarcely. 


208  the  man  of  law’s  tale. 

For  at  the  firste  look  he  on  hire  sette, 

He  knew  wel  verraily  that  it  was  she, 

And  she  for  sorwe  as  doumb  stant  as  a  tree  ; 

So  was  hir  herte  shet  in  hir  distresse 
When  she  remembred  his  unkyndenesse. 

Twyes  she  swowned  in  his  owene  sighte.  5480 
He  weep,  and  hym  excuseth  pitously : 

“Now  God,”  quod  he,  “and  hise  halwes  1 
brighte, 

So  wisly  on  my  soul  as  have  mercy, 

That  of  youre  harm  as  giltelees  am  I, 

As  is  Maurice  my  sone,  so  lyk  your  face  ; 

Elies  the  feend  me  fecche  out  of  this  place  !  ” 
Long  was  the  sobbyng  and  the  bitter  peyne, 
Er  that  hir  woful  hertes  myghte  cesse  ; 

Greet  was  the  pitee  for  to  heere  hem  pleyne, 
Thurgh  which e  pleintes  gan  hir  wo  encresse. 

I  pray  yow  all  my  labour  to  relesse,  549 1 

I  may  nat  tell  hir  wo  un-til  to  morwe, 

I  am  so  wery  for  to  speke  of  sorwe. 

But  finally,  whan  that  the  sothe 2  is  wist, 

That  Alla  giltelees  was  of  hir  wo, 

I  trowe  an  hundred  tymes  been  they  kist ; 

And  swich  a  blisse  is  ther  bitwix  hem  two, 
That,  save  the  joye  that  lasteth  everemo, 

Ther  is  noon  lyk  that  any  creature 
Hath  seyn,  or  shal,  whil  that  the  world  may 
dure.  5  5  00 

Tho  preyde  she  hir  housbonde,  mekely, 


1  Saints. 


2  Truth. 


CONSTANCE  MEETS  HER  FATHER.  209 

In  relief  of  hir  longe  pitous  pyne,  (SS°°  t.) 
That  he  wolde  preye  hir  fader  specially, 

That  of  his  magestee  he  wolde  enclyne 
To  vouche-sauf  som  day  with  hym  to  dyne. 

She  preyde  hym  eek  he  wolde  by  no  weye 
Un-to  hir  fader  no  word  of  hire  seye. 

Som  men  wold  seyn  how  that  the  child  Mau¬ 
rice 

Booth  this  message  un-to  the  emperour, 

But,  as  I  gesse,  Alla  was  nat  so  nyce  1  5510 

To  hym,  that  was  of  so  sovereyn  honour 
As  he  that  is  of  cristen  folk  the  flour, 

Sente  any  child ;  but  it  is  bet  to  deeme 
He  wente  hym-self,  and  so  it  may  well  seeme. 

This  emperour  hath  graunted  gentilly 
To  come  to  dyner,  as  he  hym  bisoughte, 

And  wel  rede  2  I,  he  looked  bisily 

Up-on  this  child,  and  on  his  doghter  thoghte. 

Alla  goth  to  his  in,  and  as  him  oghte,' 

Arrayed  for  this  feste  in  every  wise,  55 20 

As  ferforth  as  his  konnyng  may  suffise. 

The  morwe  cam,  and  Alla  gan  hym  dresse,3 
And  eek  his  wyf,  this  emperour  to  meete ; 

And  forth  they  ryde  in  joye  and  in  gladnesse  ; 
And  whan  she  saugh  hir  fader  in  the  strete 
She  lighte  doun  and  falleth  hym  to  feete  ;  ' 

“  Fader,”  quod  she,  “  youre  yonge  child,  Cus- 
tance, 

Is  now  ful  clene  out  of  youre  remembrance. 

t  Simple.  2  I  assure  you.  3  Prepare. 


VOL.  I 


210  THE  MAN  OF  LAW'S  TALE. 

I  am  youre  doghter  Custance,”  quod  she, 
“That  whilom  ye  han  sent  un-to  Surrye.  5530 
It  am  I,  fader,  that  in  the  salte  see 
Was  put  allone,  and  dampned  for  to  dye. 

Now,  goode  fader,  mercy,  I  yow  crye  ! 

Sende  me  namoore  un-to  noon  hethenesse, 

But  thonketh  my  lord  heere  of  his  kyndenesse.’ 

Who  kan  the  pitous  joye  tellen  al 
Bitwixe  hem  thre,  syn  they  been  thus  ymette  ? 
But  of  my  tale  make  an  ende  I  shal,  — 

The  day  1  goth  faste,  I  wol  no  lenger  lette. 

This  glade  folk  to  dyner  they  hem  sette.  5540 
In  joye  and  blisse  at  mete  I  lete  hem  dwelle, 

A  thousand  foold  wel  moore  than  I  kan  telle. 

This  child  Maurice  was  sithen 2  emperour 
Maad  by  the  pope  and  lyved  cristenly. 

To  Cristes  chirche  he  dide  greet  honour ; 

But  I  lete  all  his  storie  passen  by ; 

Of  Custance  is  my  tale  specially. 

In  the  olde  Romane  Geestes  3  may  men  fynde 
Maurices  lyf,  I  bere  it  noght  in  mynde. 

This  kyng  Alla,  whan  he  his  tyme  say  4  5550 
With  his  Custance,  his  hooly  wyf  so  sweete, 

To  Engelond  been  they  come  the  righte  way, 
Wher  as  they  lyve  in  joye  and  in  quiete  ; 

But  litel  while  it  lasteth,  I  yow  heete.6  (5552  t.) 
Joye  of  this  world  for  tyme  wol  nat  abyde, 

Fro  day  to  nyght  it  changeth  as  the  tyde. 

1  Of  the  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury.  2  Afterwards.  3  Gesta  Ro- 
manorum.  4  Saw.  5  Promise. 


JOYS  OF  THIS  WORLD  FLEETING.  21  I 

Who  lyved  evere  in  swich  delit  o  day 
That  hym  ne  moeved  outlier  conscience, 

Or  ire,  or  talent,1  or  som  kynnes  affray,2 
Envye,  or  pride,  or  passion,  or  offence  ?  5560 

I  ne  seye  but  for  this  ende  this  sentence, 

That  litel  while  in  joye,  or  in  plesance, 

Lasteth  the  blisse  of  Alla  with  Custance ; 

For  Deeth,  that  taketh  of  heigh  and  logh  his 
rente, 

Whan  passed  was  a  yeer,  evene  as  I  gesse, 

Out  of  this  world  this  kyng  Alla  he  hente,3 
For  whom  Custance  hath  ful  greet  hevynesse. 
Now  lat  us  praye  to  God  his  soule  blesse  ! 

And  dame  Custance,  finally  to  seye, 

Toward  the  toun  of  Rome  goth  hir  weye.  5570 
To  Rome  is  come  this  hooly  creature, 

And  fyndeth  hire  freendes  hoole  and  sounde. 
Now  is  she  scaped  al  hire  aventure, 

And  whan  that  she  hir  fader  hath  yfounde, 
Doun  on  hir  knees  falleth  she  to  grounde ; 
Wepynge  for  tendrenesse  in  herte  blithe, 

She  heryeth  4  God  an  hundred  thousand  sithe. 

In  vertu  and  hooly  almus  dede 
They  lyven  alle,  and  nevere  asonder  wende. 
Till  deeth  departed  5  hem  this  lyf  they  lede,  5580 
And  fareth  now  weel,  my  tale  is  at  an  ende. 
Now  Jhesu  Crist,  that  of  his  myght  may  sende 
Joye  after  wo,  governe  us  in  his  grace, 

And  kepe  us  alle  that  been  in  this  place. 
Amen.  (5582  t.) 

1  Desire.  2  Kind  of  fear.  3  Seized.  4  Praiseth.  5  Separated. 


212  WORDS  OF  THE  HOST  AND  OTHERS. 


Words  of  the  Host ,  the  Parson ,  and  the  Shipman. 

Oure  Hoste  upon  his  stiropes  stode  anon, 
And  seyde,  “  Good  men,  herkeneth,  everichon  ! 
This  was  a  thrifty  tale  for  the  nones  !  (12,905  T.) 
Sir  Parish  Prest,”  quod  he,  “  for  Goddes  bones, 
Tell  us  a  tale,  as  was  thy  forward  1  yore  ; 

I  se  wel  that  ye  lerned  men  in  lore  559° 

Can  moche  good,  by  Goddes  dignitee  !  ” 

The  Persone  him  answerde,  “  Be?iedicite  ! 
What  eyleth  the  man  so  sinfully  to  swere  ?  ” 
Our  Hoste  answerde,  “O  Jankyn,  be  ye 
there  ? 

I  smelle  a  Loller2  in  the  wind,”  quod  he. 

“  Ho  !  good  men,”  quod  our  Hoste,  “  herkneth 
me, 

Abydeth,  for  Goddes  digne  passioun, 

For  we  shul  han  a  predicacioun  ; 

This  Loller  here  wol  prechen  us  somwhat.” 

“  Nay,  by  my  fader  soule  !  that  shal  he  nat !  ” 
Seyde  the  Shipman  ;  “here  shal  he  nat  preche  ; 
He  shal  no  gospel  glosen  here,  ne  teche.  5602 
We  leven  3  alle  in  the  grete  God,”  quod  he, 

“  He  wolde  sowen  som  difficulte, 

Or  sprengen  4  cokkel  in  our  clene  corn  ; 

And  therfore,  Hoste,  I  warne  the  biforn, 

My  joly  body  shal  a  tale  telle, 

And  I  shal  clynken  yow  so  mery  a  belle 


1  Agreement.  2  Lollard.  8  Believe.  4  Sprinkle. 


THE  MERCHANT  OF  ST.  DENIS.  213 

That  I  shal  wakyn  al  this  companye ; 

But  it  shal  nat  ben  of  philosophye,  5610 

Ne  of  phisyk,  ne  termes  queint  of  lawe  ; 

There  is  but  litel  Latin  in  my  mawe.” 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Shipmannes  Tale.1 

A  marchant  whilom  dwelled  at  Seint  Denys,2 
That  riche  was,  for  which  men  helde  hym 
wys  ;  .(12,932  T.) 

A  wyf  he  hadde  of  excellent  beautee, 

And  compaignable  and  revelous  was  she, 
Which  is  a  thyng  that  causeth  more  dispence 
Than  worth  is  al  the  chiere  and  reverence 
That  men  hem  doon  at  festes  and  at  daunces. 
Swiche  salutaciouns  and  contenaunces  5620 
Passen  as  dooth  a  shadwe  up-on  the  wal, 

But  wo  is  hym  that  payen  moot  for  al  ! 

“The  sely  housbonde  algate  3  he  moste  paye  ; 
He  moot  us  clothe  and  he  moot  us  arraye, 

Al  for  his  owene  worship  richely, 

In  which  array  we  daunce  jolily. 

And  if  that  he  noght  may,  par  aventure, 

Or  ellis  list  no  swich  dispence  endure, 

But  thynketh  it  is  wasted  and  ylost,  (12,947  t.) 
Thanne  moot  another  payen  for  oure  cost,. 

Or  lene  4  us  gold,  and  that  is  perilous.”  5631 
This  noble  marchaunt  heeld  a  worthy  hous, 

1  A  story,  the  plot  of  which  is  the  same  as  that  of  this  one,  is 
briefly  related,  with  different  accessories,  by  Boccaccio,  being  the  first 
novel  of  the  eighth  day.  2  A  suburb  of  Paris.  8  Always.  4  Lend 


214 


the  shipman’s  tale. 


For  which  he  hackle  alday  so  greet  repair 
For  his  largesse,  and  for  his  wyf  was  fair, 

That  wonder  is ;  but  herkneth  to  my  tale. 

Amonges  alle  hise  gestes  grete  and  smale 
Ther  was  a  monk,  a  fair  man  and  a  boold,  — 

I  trowe  of  tbritty  wynter  he  was  oold,  — 

That  evere  irf  oon  was  comynge  to  that  place. 
This  yonge  monk,  that  was  so  fair  of  face,  5640 
Aqueynted  was  so  with  the  goode  man 
Sith  that  hir  firste  knoweliche  bigan, 

That  in  his  hous  as  famulier  was  he 
As  is  possible  any  freend  to  be. 

And  for  as  niuchel  as  this  goode  man 
And  eek  this  monk,  of  which  that  I  bigan, 
Were  bothe  two  yborn  in  o  village, 

The  monk  hym  claymeth  as  for  cosynage  ; 1 
And  he  agayn  he  seith  nat  ones  nay, 

But  was  as  glad  ther-of  as  fowel  of  day ;  5650 

For  to  his  herte  it  was  a  greet  plesaunce. 

Thus  been  they  knyt  with  eterne  alliaunce, 

And  ech  of  hem  gan  oother  for  tassure 
Of  bretherhede  whil  that  hir  lyf  may  dure. 

Free  was  Daun  John,  and  namely2  of  dis- 
pence, 

As  in  that  hous,  and  ful  of  diligence 
To  doon  plesaunce ;  and  also  greet  costage 
He  noght  forgat  to  geve  the  leeste  page 
In  al  the  hous,  but  after  hir  degree.  5659 

He  gaf  the  lord  and  sitthe  al  his  meynee,3 

1  Relationship.  2  Especially.  3  Afterwards  all  his  household. 


THE  MERCHANT  PREPARES  TO  TRAVEL.  21  5 

Whan  that  he  cam,  sora  manere  honest  thyn g, 
For  which  they  were  as  glad  of  his  comyng 
As  fowel  is  fayn  whan  that  the  sonne  up-riseth  ; 
Na  rnoore  of  this  as  now,  for  it  suffiseth. 

But  so  bifel  this  marchant  on  a  day 
Shoop  1  hym  to  make  redy  his  array 
Toward  the  toun  of  Brugges  for  to  fare, 

To  byen  there  a  porcioun  of  ware  ; 

For  which  he  hath  to  Parys  sent  anon 
A  messager,  and  preyed  hath  Daun  John  5670 
That  he  sholde  come  to  Seint  Denys,  to  p'leye 
With  hym  and  with  his  wyf  a  day  or  tweye, 

Er  he  to  Brugges  wente,  in  alle  wise. 

This  noble  monk,  of  which  I  yow  devyse, 
Hath  of  his  abbot  as  hym  list  licence,  — 

By  cause  he  was  a  man  of  heigh  prudence, 

And  eek  an  officer,  —  out  for  to  ryde 
To  seen  hir  graunges  and  hire  bernes  wyde, 
And  un-to  Seint  Denys  he  comth  anon.  5679 
Who  was  so  welcome  as  my  lord  Daun  John, 

“  Oure  deere  cosyn,  ful  of  curteisye  ”  ? 

With  hym  broghte  he  a  jubbe  of  malvesye  2 
And  eek  another,  ful  of  fyn  vernage,3 
And  volatyl,4  as  ay  was  his  usage,  (13,002  t.) 
And  thus  I  lete  hem  drynke  and  pleye, 

This  marchant  and  this  monk,  a  day  or  tweye. 

The  thridde  day  this  marchant  up  ariseth, 
And  on  hise  nedes  sadly  5  hym  avyseth, 


1  Prepared.  2  Jug  of  a  sort  of  wine.  3  A  white  wine.  Cf.  1. 
14,143.  4  Fowls.  5  Seriously. 


216 


the  shipman’s  tale. 


And  up  in-to  his  countour-hous  gooth  he, 

To  rekene  with  hym  self,  as  1  wel  may  be,  5690 
Of  thilke  yeer,  how  that  it  with  hym  stood, 

And  how  that  he  despended  hadde  his  good, 
And  if  that  he  encressed  were  or  noon. 

Hise  bookes  and  hise  bagges  many  oon 
He  leith  biforn  hym  on  his  countyng-bord. 

Ful  riche  was  his  tresor  and  his  hord, 

For  which  ful  faste  his  countour  dore  he  shette, 
And  eek  he  nolde  that  no  man  sholde  hym  lette 
Of  hise  accountes,  for  the  meene  tyme  ; 

And  thus  he  sit  til  it  was  passed  pryme.  5700 
Daun  John  was  rysen  in  the  morwe  also 
And  in  the  gardyn  walketh  to  and  fro 
And  hath  hise  thynges  2  seyd  ful  curteisly. 

This  goode  wyf  cam  walkynge  pryvely 
In  to  the  gardyn,  there  he  walketh  softe, 

And  hym  saleweth,  as  she  hath  doon  ofte. 

A  mayde  child  cam  in  hire  compaignye, 

Which  as  hir  list  she  may  governe  and  gye,8 
For  yet  under  the  yerde4  was  the  mayde.  5709 
“  O  deere  cosyn  myn,  Daun  John,”  she  sayde, 

“  What  eyleth  yow,  so  rathe  5  for  to  ryse  ?  ” 

“  Nece,”  quod  he,  “  it  oghte  ynough  suffise 
Fyve  houres  for  to  slepe  up-on  a  nyght, 

But  it  were  for  an  old  appalled  6  wight, 

As  been  thise  wedded  men  that  lye  and  dare,7 
As,  in  a  fourme,  sit  a  wery  hare 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Devotions.  3  Guide.  i  Rod,  i.  e under 
Control.  6  Early.  0  Enfeebled.  7  Stare. 


CONFIDENTIAL  CONVERSATION.  2  I  7 

Were  al  forstraught  with  houndes  grete  and 
smale  ; 

But,  deere  nece,  why  be  ye  so  pale  ? 

I  trowe  certes  that  oure  goode  man 

Hath  yow  laboured  sith  the  nyght  bigan,  5720 

That  yow  were  nede  to  resten  hastily 

And  with  that  word  he  lough  ful  murily 

And  of  his  owene  thought  he  wax  al  reed.1 

This  faire  wyf  gan  for  to  shake  hir  heed, 
And  seyde  thus  :  “  Ye,  God  woot  al,”  quod  she, 
“  Nay,  nay,  cosyn  myn,  it  stant  nat  so  with 
me, 

For  by  that  God  that  gaf  me  soule  and  lyf, 

In  al  the  reawme  of  France  is  ther  no  wyf 
That  lasse  2  lust  hath  to  that  sory  pleye  ; 

For  I  may  synge  alias  !  and  weylawey  !  .  5730 
That  I  was  born  ;  but  to  no  wight,”  quod  she, 

“  Dar  I  nat  telle  how  that  it  stant  with  me  ; 
Wherfore  I  thynke  out  of  this  land  to  wende, 
Or  elles  of  my-self  to  make  an  ende,  (13,052  T.) 
So  ful  am  I  of  drede  and  eek  of  care.” 

This  monk  bigan  up-on  this  wyf  to  stare, 

And  seyde,  “  Allas,  my  nece,  God  forbede 
That  ye,  for  any  sorwe  or  any  drede, 

Fordo  8  youre-self  ;  but  tel  me  of  youre  grief  ; 
Paraventure  I  yow  may  in  youre  meschief  5740 
Conseille  or  helpe  ;  and  therfore  telleth  me 
All  youre  anoy,  for'  it  shal  been  secree  ; 

For  on  my  porthors  4  I  make  an  ooth 

1  Red.  2  Less.  3  Ruin.  4  Breviary. 


218 


THE  SHIPMAN’S  TALE. 


That  nevere  in  my  lyf,  for  lief  ne  looth, 

Ne  shal  I  of  no  conseil  yow  biwreye.” 

“  The  same  agayn  to  yow,”  quod  she,  “  I 
seye, 

By  God  and  by  this  porthors  I  yow  swere, 
Though  men  me  wolde  al  in-to  pieces  tere, 

Ne  shal  I  nevere,  for  to  goon  to  helle, 

Biwreye  a  word  of  thyng  that  ye  me  telle,  5750 
Nat  for  no  cosynage  ne  alliance, 

But  verraily  for  love  and  affiance.” 

Thus  been  they  sworn,  and  heer-upon  they 
kiste, 

And  ech  of  hem  tolde  oother  what  hem  liste. 

“  Cosyn,”  quod  she,  “  if  that  I  hadde  a 
space, 

As  I  have  noon,  and  namely  in  this  place, 
Thanne  wolde  I  telle  a  legende  of  my  lyf,- 
What  I  have  suffred  sith  I  was  a  wyf 
With  myn  housbonde,  al  be  he  of  youre  kyn.” 

“  Nay,”  quod  this  monk,  “  by  God,  and  by 
Seint  Martyn  !  5760 

He  is  na  moore  cosyn  un-to  me 

J 

Than  in  this  lief  that  hangeth  on  the  tree. 

I  clepe  hym  so,  by  Seint  Denys  of  Fraunce ! 

To  have  the  moore  cause  of  aqueyntaunce 
Of  yow,  which  I  have  loved  specially, 

Aboven  alle  wommen  sikerly. 

This  swere  I  yow  on  my  professioun. 

Telleth  youre  grief  lest  that  he  come  adoun, 
And  haste th  yow,  and  gooth  youre  wey  anon.” 


CONFIDENTIAL  CONVERSATION.  219 

“  My  deere  love,”  quod  she,  “  O  my  Daun 
John,  5770 

Ful  lief  were  me  this  conseil  for  to  hyde, 

But  out  it  moot,  I  may  namoore  abyde  ! 

Myn  housbonde  is  to  me  the  worste  man 
That  evere  was  sith  that  the  world  bigan, 

But  sith  I  am  a  wyf,  it  sit 1  nat  me 
To  tellen  no  wight  of  oure  privetee, 

Neither  a  bedde  ne  in  noon  oother  place, 

God  shilde  I  sholde  it  tellen  for  his  grace  ! 

A  wyf  ne  shal  nat  seyn  of  hir  housbonde 
But  al  honour,  as  I  lean  understonde,  5780 
Save  un-to  yow,  thus  muche  I  tellen  shal ; 

As  helpe  me  God,  he  is  noght  worth  at  al 
In  no  degree  the  value  of  a  flye  ;  (13,101  t.) 

But  yet  me  greveth  moost  his  nygardye. 

And  wel  ye  woot  that  wommen  naturelly 
Desiren  thynges  sixe,  as  wel  as  I  : 

They  wolde  that  hir  housbondes  sholde  be 
Hardy  and  wise,  and  riche,  and  ther-to  free, 
And  buxom  2  to  his  wyf,  and  fressh  abedde ; 

But  by  that  ilke  Lord  that  for  us  bledde,  5790 
For  his  honour  my-self  for  to  arraye, 

A  Sonday  next,  I  moste  ned-es  paye 
An  hundred  frankes,  or  ellis  I  am  lorn ; 3 
Yet  were  me  levere  that  I  were  unborn 
Than  me  were  doon  a  sclaundre  or  vileynye ; 
And  if  myn  housbonde  eek  it  myghte  espye 
I  nere  but  lost,  and  therfore  I  yow  preye, 

3  Lost. 


1  Becomes.  2  Yielding. 


220  the  shipman’s  tale. 

Lene  me  this  somme,  or  ellis  moot  I  deye. 
Daun  John,  I  seye,  lene  me  thise  hundred 
frankes  ; 

Pardee ,  I  wol  nat  faille  yow  my  thankes,  5800 
If  that  yow  list  to  doon  that  I  yow  praye, 

For  at  a  certeyn  day  I  wol  yow  paye, 

And  doon  to  yow  what  plesance  and  service 
That  I  may  doon,  right  as  yow  list  devise, 

And  but  I  do,  God  take  on  me  vengeance 
As  foul  as  evere  hadde  Genyloun1  of  France!  ” 
This  gentil  monk  answerde  in  this  manere  : 

“  Now  trewely,  myn  owene  lady  deere, 

I  have,”  quod  he,  “on  yow  so  greet  a  routhe, 
That  I  yow  swere,  and  plighte  yow  my  trouthe, 
That  whan  youre  housbonde  is  to  Flaundres 
fare  5811 

1  wol  delyvere  yow  out  of  this  care  ; 

For  I  wol  brynge  yow  an  hundred  frankes 
And  with  that  word  he  caughte  hire  by  the 
flankes 

And  hire  embraceth  harde  and  kiste  hire  ofte. 

“  Gooth  now  youre  wey,”  quod  he,  “  all  stille 
and  softe, 

And  lat  us  dyne  as  soone  as  that  ye  may, 

For  by  my  chilyndre  2  it  is  pryme  3  of  day. 
Gooth  now,  and  beeth  as  trewe  as  I  shal  be.” 

“  Now  elles  God  forbede,  sire,”  quod  she  ; 
And  forth  she  gooth  as  jolif  as  a  pye,  5821 


1  Who  betrayed  Roland  at  Roncesvalles.  Cf.  1.  8839.  2  Cylin¬ 

drical,  portable  sundial.  3  Nine  o’clock  in  the  morning. 


A  debtor’s  TRICK  SUGGESTED.  221 


And  bad  the  cookes  that  they  sholde  hem  hye,1 
So  that  men  myghte  dyne  2  and  that  anon. 

Up  to  hir  housbonde  is  this  wyf  ygon, 

And  knokketh  at  his  countour  boldely. 

“Who  is3  ther?”  quod  he.  “Peter!  it  am  I,” 
Quod  she  ;  “  what,  sire,  how  longe  wol  ye  faste  ? 
How  longe  tyme  wol  ye  rekene  and  caste 
Youre  sommes,  and  youre  bookes,  and  youre 
thynges  ?  5829 

The  devel  have  part  on  alle  swiche  rekenynges ! 
Ye  have  ynough,  pardee ,  of  Goddes  sonde  ; 4 
Com  doun  to-day,  and  lat  youre  bagges  stonde. 
Ne  be  ye  nat  ashamed  that  Daun  John 
Shal  fasting  al  this  day  alenge 5  goon  ?  (13,152  t.) 
What ! 3  lat  us  heere  a  rnesse,  and  go  we  dyne  !  ” 
“Wyf,”  quod  this  man,  “  litel  kanstow  devyne 
The  curious  bisynesse  that  we  have  ; 

For  of  us  chapmen,  —  al  so  God  me  save, 

And  by  that  lord  that  clepid  is  Seint  Yve,6  — 
Scarsly  amonges  twelve,  ten  shuln  thryve,  5840 
Continuelly  lastynge  un-to  oure  age. 

We  may  wel  make  chiere  and  good  visage, 

And  dryve  forth  the  world  as  it  may  be, 

And  kepen  oure  estaat  in  pryvetee 
Til  we  be  deed ;  or  elles  that  we  pleye 
A  pilgrymage,  or  goon  out  of  the  weye  ;7 
And  therfore  have  I  greet  necessitee 
Up-on  this  queynte  world  tavyse  8  me, 

1  Hasten.  2  Take  the  first  meal.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Sending. 
5  Comfortless.  •  A  priest  of  Bretagne.  7  Of  creditors.  8  To  advise. 


THE  SHIPMAN’S  TALE. 


222 

For,  everemoore  we  moote  stonde  in  drede 
Of  hap  and  fortune  in  oure  chapmanhede.  5850 
“  To  Flaundres  wol  I  go  to  morwe  at  day, 
And  come  agayn  as  soone  as  evere  I  may, 

For  which,  my  deere  wyf,  I  thee  biseke 
As  be  to  every  wight  buxom  and  meke, 

And  for  to  kepe  oure  good  be  curious, 

And  honestly  governe  wel  oure  hous. 

Thou  hast  ynough  in  every  maner  wise, 

That  to  a  thrifty  houshold  may  suffise  ; 

Thee  lakketh  noon  array  ne  no  vitaille, 

Of  silver  in  thy  purs  shaltow  nat  faille.”  5860 
And  with  that  word  his  countour  dore  he  shette, 
And  doun  he  gooth,  no  lenger  wolde  he  lette  ; 
But  hastily  a  messe  was  ther  seyd, 

And  spedily  the  tables  were  yleyd, 

And  to  the  dyner  faste  they  hem  spedde, 

And  richely  this  monk  the  chapman  fedde.1 

At  after  dyner  Daun  John  sobrely 
This  chapman  took  a-part  and  prively 
He  seyde  hym  thus  :  “  Cosyn,  it  standeth  so 
That,  wel  I  se,  to  Brugges  wol  ye  go.  5870 
God  and  Seint  Austyn  spede  yow  and  gyde  ! 

I  prey  yow,  cosyn,  wisely  that  ye  ryde  ; 
Governeth  yow  also  of  youre  diete 
Atemprely,  and  namety2  in  this  hete. 

Bitwix  us  two  nedeth  no  strange  fare  ; 

Fare  wel,  cosyn,  God  shilde  yow'  fro  care  ! 

And  if  that  any  thyng,  by  day  or  nyght, 

1  Cf.  1.  56S4.  2  Especially. 


THE  MONK  BORROWS.  223 

If  it  lye  in  my  power  and  my  myght 
That  ye  me  wol  comande  in  any  wyse 
It  shal  be  doon  right  as  ye  wol  devyse.  5880 
“  O  thyng,  er  that  ye  goon,  if  it  may  be  : 

I  wolde  prey  yow  for  to  lene  me  (13,200  t.) 
An  hundred  frankes  for  a  wyke  or  tweye, 

For  certein  beestes  that  I  moste  beye 
To  stoore  with  a  place  that  is  oures,  — 

God  helpe  me  so,  I  wolde  it  were  youres  ! 

I  shal  nat  faille  surely  at  my  day, 

Nat  for  a  thousand  frankes  a  mile  way  ! 1 2 
But  lat  this  thyng  be  secree,  I  yow  preye,  5889 
For  yet  to-nyght  thise  beestes  moot  I  beye  ; 
And  fare  now  wel,  myn  owene  cosyn  deere, 
Graunt  mercy 2  of  youre  cost  and  of  youre 
cheere !  ” 

■  This  noble  marchant  gentilly  anon 
Answerde  and  seyde,  “  O  cosyn  myn,  Daun 
John, 

Now  sikerly  this  is  a  smal  requeste, 

My  gold  is  youres  whan  that  it  yow  leste, 

And  nat  oonly  my  gold,  but  my  chaffare;3 
Take  what  yow  list,  God  shikle4  that  ye  spare  ! 

“  But  o  thyng  is,  ye  knowe  it  wel  ynogh, 

Of  chapmen,  that  hir  moneie  is  hir  plogh  ■  5900 
We  may  creaunce  6  whil  we  have  a  name, 

But  goldlees  for  to  be,  it  is  no  game ; 

Paye  it  agayn  whan  it  lith  in  youre  ese  ; 

After  my  myght  ful  fayn  wolde  I  yow  plese.” 


1  Compare  the  expressions  “a  furlong  way;”  ‘‘a  long  way. 

2  Many  thanks.  3  Goods.  4  Forbid.  8  Get  on  trust. 


224  THE  Shipman’s  tale. 

Thise  hundred  frankes  he  fette  1  hym  forth 
anon 

And  prively  he  took  hem  to  Daun  John  ; 

No  wight  in  al  this  world  wiste  of  this  loone, 
Savynge  this  marchant  and  Daun  John  alloone. 
They  drynke,  and  speke,  and  rome  a  while  and 
pleye, 

Til  that  Daun  John  rideth  to  his  abbeye.  5910 
The  morwe  cam  and  forth  this  marchant 
rideth 

To  Flaundres-ward,  —  his  prentys  wel  hym 
gydeth,  — 

Til  he  cam  in  to  Brugges  murily. 

Now  gooth  this  marchant  faste  and  bisily 
Aboute  his  nede,  and  byeth  and  creaunceth  ; 
He  neither  pleyeth  at  dees,  ne  daunceth, 

But  as  a  marchant,  shortly  for  to  telle, 

He  lad  2  his  lyf,  and  there  I  lete  hym  dwelle. 

The  Sonday  next  this  marchant  was  agon, 
To  Seint  Denys  yeomen  is  Daun  John,  5920 
With  crowne  and  berde  all  fressh  and  newe 
y-shave. 

In  al  the  hous  ther  nas  so  litel  a  knave,3 
Ne  no  wight  elles,  that  he  nas  ful  fayn 
For  that  my  lord  Daun  John  was  come  agayn ; 
And  shortly,  right  to  the  point  for  to  gon, 

This  faire  wyf  accorded  with  Daun  John 
That  for  thise  hundred  frankes  he  sholde  al 
nyght 

1  Fetched.  2  Elles.  MS.  has  “  let.”  3  Boy  servant. 


THE  MERCHANT  RETURNS. 


225 


Have  hire  in  hise  artnes  bolt  upright, 

And  this  acord  parfourned  was  in  dede. 

In  myrthe  al  nyght  a  bisy  lyf  they  lede  593° 
Til  it  was  day,  that  Daun  John  wente  his  way, 
And  bad  the  meynee,1  Fare  wel,  have  good 
day;  (13,250^) 

For  noon  of  hem,  ne  no  wight  in  the  toun, 
Hath  of  Daun  John  right  no  suspecioun  ; 

And  forth  he  rydeth  hoom  to  his  abbeye, 

Or  where  hym  list  ;  namoore  of  hym  I  seye. 
This  marchant,  whan  that  ended  was  the 
faire, 

To  Seint  Denys  he  gan  for  to  repaire, 

And  with  his'wyf  he  maketh  feeste  and  cheere, 
And  telleth  hire  that  chaffare  is  so  deere  5940 
That  nedes  rnoste  he  make  a  chevyssaunce,2 
For  he  was  bounden  in  a  reconyssaunce, 

To  pave  twenty  thousand  sheeld  3  anon  ; 

For  which  this  marchant  is  to  Parys  gon, 

To  borwe  of  certeine  freendes  that  he  hadde 
A  certeyn  frankes 4  and  somme  with  him  he 
ladde  ; 5 

And  whan  that  he  was  come  in  to  the  toun, 

For  greet  chiertee,6  and  greet  affectioun, 

Un  to  Daun  John  he  gooth  hym  first  to  pleye,  — 
Nat  for  to  axe  or  borwe  of  hym  moneye,  — 

But  for  to  wite  and  seen  of  his  welfare,  5951 
And  for  to  tellen  hym  of  his  chaffare, 

1  Menials.  2  Loan.  3  Crowns.  4  A  certain  sum  of  francs, 
5  Took.  8  Tenderness. 

IS 


VOL.  I. 


226  the  shipman’s  tale. 

As  freendes  doon  whan  they  been  met  yfeere.1 
Daun  John  hym  maketh  feeste  and  murye 
cheere, 

And  he  hym  tolde  agayn,  ful  specially, 

How  he  hadde  wel  yboght  and  graciously,  — 
Thanked  be  God  !  —  al  hool  his  marchandise 
Save  that  he  moste,2  in  alle  maner  wise, 

Maken  a  chevyssaunce  as  for  his  beste,  5959 
And  thanne  he  sholde  been  in  joye  and  reste. 

Daun  John  answerde,  “  Certes  I  am  fayn, 
That  ye  in  heele  ar  comen  horn  agayn, 

And  if  that  I  were  riche,  as  have  I  blisse, 

Of  twenty  thousand  sheeld  shold  ye  nat  mysse, 
For  ye  so  kyndely  this  oother  day 
Lente  me  gold,  and  as  I  kan  and  may 
I  thanke  yow,  by  God  and  by  Seint  Jame  ! 

But  nathelees  I  took  un-to  oure  dame, 

Youre  wyf,  at  horn,  the  same  gold  ageyn  5969 
Upon  youre  bench,  she  woot  it  wel  certeyn, 

By  certeyn  tokenes  that  I  kan  yow  telle. 

Now  by  youre  leve  I  may  no  lenger  dwelle  ; 
Oure  abbot  wole  out  of  this  toun  anon 
And  in  his  compaignye  .moot  I  goon. 

Crete  wel  oure  dame,  myn  owene  nece  sweete, 
And  fare  wel,  deere  cosyn,  til  we  meete  !  ” 

This  marchant,  which  that  was  ful  war  and 
wys, 

Creanced  hath  and  payd  eek  in  Parys 
To  certeyn  Lumbardes  3  redy  in  hir  hond  5979 

1  In  company.  2  Must.  3  Lenders  of  money. 


THE  MERCHANT  REJOICES.  22/ 

The  somme  of  gold,  and  hadde  of  hem  his 
bond  ;  (13,298  T.) 

And  hoom  he  gooth,  murie  as  a  popynjay,1 
For  wel  he  knew  he  stood  in  swich  array 
That  nedes  moste  he  Wynne  in  that  viage  2 
A  thousand  frankes  aboven  al  his  costage. 

His  wyf  ful  redy  mette  hym  atte  gate, 

As  she  was  wont  of  oold  usage  algate, 

And  al  that  nyght  in  myrthe  they  bisette,3 
For  he  was  riche  and  cleerly  out  of  dette. 
Whan  it  was  day  this  marchant  gan  embrace 
His  wyf  al  newe,  and  kiste  hire  on  hir  face, 
And  up  he  gooth  and  maketh  it  ful  tough.4  5991 
“  Namoore,”  quod  she,  “by  God,  ye  have 
ynough  !  ” 

And  wantownely  agayn  with  hym  she  pleyde  ; 
Til  atte  laste  thus 5  this  marchant  seyde  : 

“  By  God,”  quod  he,  “  I  am  a  litel  wrooth 
With  yow,  my  wyf,  al-though  it  were  me  looth  ; 
And  woot  ye  why  ?  By  God,  as  that  I  gesse 
That  ye  han  maad  a  manere  straungenesse 
Bitwixen  me  and  my  cosyn  daun  John, — 

Ye  sholde  han  warned  me,  er  I  had  gon,  6000 
That  he  yow  hadde  an  hundred  frankes  payed, 
By  redy  tokene,  —  and  heeld  hym  y vele  apayed 6 
For  that  I  to  hym  spak  of  chevyssaunce ; 

Me  semed  so  as  by  his  contenaunce  ; 

But  nathelees,  by  God,  oure  hevene  kyng, 

4  Elies.  MS.  has  “papeiay.”  2  Journey.  3  Employ.  4  Took 
pains  about  it.  D  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  6  Displeased. 


228  the  shipman’s  tale. 

I  thoughte  nat  to  axen  hym  no  thyng. 

I  prey  thee,  wyf,  as  do  namoore  so  ; 

Telle  me  alwey,  er  that  I  fro  thee  go, 

If  any  dettour  hath  in  myn  absence 

Ypayed  thee,  lest  thurgh  thy  necligence  6010 

I  myghte  hym  axe  a  thing  that  he  hath  payed.” 

This  wyf  was  nat  afered  nor  affrayed, 

But  boldely  she  seyde,  and  that  anon, 

“  Marie,  I  deffie  the  false  monk,  Daun  John  ! 

I  kepe  nat  of  hise  tokenes  never  a  deel ! 

He  took  me  certeyn  gold,  that  woot  I  week 
What,  vvel  thedam  1  on  his  monkes  snowte  ! 
For,  God  it  woot,  I  wende  withouten  doute 
That  hehadde  geve  it  me  bycause  obyow,  6019 
To  doon  ther-with  myn  honour  and  my  prow,2 
For  cosynage,  and  eek  for  beele  cheere  3 
That  he  hath  had  ful  ofte  tymes  heere  ; 

But  sith  I  se  I  stonde  in  this  disjoynt, 

I  wol  answere  yow  shortly  to  the  poynt. 

“Ye  han  mo  slakkere  dettours  than  am  I, 
For  I  wol  paye  yow  wel  and  redily 
Fro  day  to  day,  and  if  so.  be  I  faille, 

I  am  youre  wyf,  score  it  up-on  my  taille, 

And  I  shal  paye  as  soone  as  ever  I  may  ; 

For  by  my  trouthe,  I  have  on  myn  array,  6030 
And  nat  on  wast,  bistowed  every  deel ; 

And  for  I  have  bistowed  it  so  weel  (13,350  t.) 
For  youre  honour,  for  Goddes  sake,  I  seye, 

As  be  nat  wrooth,  but  lat  us  laughe  and  pleye. 


1  Evil  success.  2  Profit.  3  Good  cheer. 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST. 


229 


Ye  shal  my  joly  body  have  to  wedde  f 
By  God  !  I  wol  nat  paye  yow  but  a-bedde. 
Forgyve  it  me,  myn  owene  spouse  deere, 

Turne  hiderward,  and  maketh  bettre  cheere  !  ” 
This  marchant  saugh  ther  was  no  remedie, 
And  for  to  chide  it  nere  but  greet  folie,  6040 
Sith  that  the  thyng  may  nat  amended  be. 

“  Now,  wyf,”  he  seyde,  “and  I  forgeve  it  thee, 
But  by  thy  lyf  ne  be  namoore  so  large ; 2 
Keepe  bet  oure  good  that  geve  I  thee  in 
charge.”  (13,362  T.) 

Thus  endeth  now 8  my  tale,  and  God  us  sende 
Taillynge  ynough  un-to  oure  lyves  ende.  Amen » 

Bihoold  the  murie  wordes  of  the  Hoost  to  the 
Shipman ,  and  to  the  lady  Prioresse. 

“  Wei  seyd  !  by  corpus  dominus ,”  quod  our 
Hoost ;  (13,365  t.) 

“  Now  Ionge  moote  thou  saille  by  the  cost,4 
Sire  gentil  maister,  gentil  maryneer  ! 

God  geve  this  monk  a  thousand  last6  quade  6 
yeer !  6050 

A  ha,  felawes,  beth  ware  of  swiche  a  jape  ! 

The  monk  putte  in  the  mannes  hood  an  ape,7 
And  in  his  wyves  eek,  by  Seint  Austyn ! 
Draweth  no  monkes  moore  un-to  youre  in. 

“  But  now  passe  over,  and  lat  us  seke  aboute, 

.  1  Pledge.  2  Free.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Coast.  6  Loads  of. 
8  Bad  Cf.  1.  4357. .  7  Made  a  fool  of.  Cf.  11.  3389,  7984. 


230  THE  PRIORESS’S  PROLOGUE. 

Who  shal  now  telle  first  of  al  this  route 
Another  tale ;  ”  and  with  that  word  he  sayde, 
As  curteisly  as  it  had  ben  a  mayde, 

“  My  lady  Prioresse,  by  youre  leve, 

So  that  I  wiste  I  sholde  yow  nat  greve,  6060 
I  wolde  demen  that  ye  tellen  sholde 
A  tale  next,  if  so  were  that  ye  wolde. 

Now-  wol  ye  vouche  sauf,  my  lady  deere  ?  ” 

“  Gladly,”  quod  she,  and  seyde  as  ye  shal 
heere. 

The  Prologe  of  the  Prioresses  Tale. 

b 

“  O  Lord,  oure  Lord,  thy  name  how  merveil- 
lous  (i3>383  t-) 

Is  in  this  large  world  ysprad,”  quod  she ; 

“  For  noght  oonly  thy  laude  precious 
Parfournecl  is  by  men  of  dignitee, 

But  by  the  mouth  of  children  thy  bountee  1 
Parfourned  is  ;  for  on  the  brest  soukynge  6070 
Somtyme  shewen  they  thyn  heriynge.2 
Wherfore,  in  laude  as  I  best  lean  or  may, 

Of  thee,  and  of  the  white  3  lylye  flour, 

Which  that  the  bar  and  is  a  mayde  alway, 

To  telle  a  storie  I  wol  do  my  labour  ; 

Nat  that  I  may  encreessen  hir  honour, 

For  she  hir-self  is  honour  and  the  roote 
Of  bountee,  next  hir  sone,  and  soules  booted 
O  mooder  mayde  !  O  mayde  mooder  fre  ! 

1  Goodness.  2  Praise.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  i  Cure. 


THE  VIRGIN  LAUDED. 


231 


O  bussh  unbrent,1  brennynge  in  Moyses  sighte  ! 
That  ravysedest2  cloun  fro  the  Deitee,  6081 
Thurgh  tliyn  humblesse,  the  goost  that  in  tha- 
lighte  ; 3  (13,400  t.) 

Of  whos  vertu,  whan  he,  thyn  herte  lighte, 
Conceyved  was,  the  Fadres  sapience, 

Helpe  me  to  telle  it  in  thy  reverence  ! 

Lady,  thy  bountee,  thy  magnificence,4 
Thy  vertu,  and  thy  grete  humylitee, 

Ther  may  no  tonge  expresse  in  no  science ; 

For  somtyme,  lady,  er  men  praye  to  thee, 

Thou  goost  biforn  of  thy  benygnytee,  6090 
And  getest  us  thurgh  lyght  of  thy  preyere, 

To  gyden  us  un-to  thy  Sone  so  deere. 

My  konnyng  is  so  wayk,  O  blisful  queene, 

For  to  declare  thy  grete  worthynesse, 

That  I  ne  may  the  weighte  nat  susteene  ; 

But  as  a  child  of  twelf  monthe  oold  or  lesse, 
That  kan  unnethes  5  any  word  expresse, 

Right  so  fare  I,  and  therfore  I  yow  preye, 
Gydeth  my  song  that  I  shal  of  yow  seye.” 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Prioresses  Tale. 

Ther  was  in  Asye,  in  a  greet  citee,  6100 
Amonges  cristene  folk,  a  Jewerye, 

Sustened  by  a  lord  of  that  contree 
For  foule  usure,  and  lucre  of  vileynye,® 


1  Unburned.  Cf.  ABC,  1.  go.  2  Didst  transport.  3  Thee 
alighted.  4  Cf.  1.  16,450,  etc.  5  Scarcely.  6  Filthy  lucre. 


232  THE  PRIORESS’S  TALE. 

Hateful  to  Crist  and  to  his  compaignye  ; 

And  thurgh  the  strete  men  myghte  ride  or 
wende, 

For  it  was  free,  and  open  at  eyther  ende. 

A  litel  scole  of  cristen  folk  ther  stood 
Doun  at  the  ferther  ende,  in  which  ther  were 
Children  an  heepe,  yeomen  of  cristen  blood, 
That  lernecl  in  that  scole  yeer  by  yere  6110 
Swich  manere  doctrine  as  men  used  there,  — 
This  is  to  seyn,  to  syngen,  and  to  rede, 

As  smale  children  doon  in  hire  childhede. 
Among  thise  children  was  a  wydwes  sone, 

A  litel  clergeoun,1  seven  yeer  of  age, 

That  day  by  day  to  scole  was  his  wone  ; 2 
And  eek  also,  where  as  he  saugh  thymage 
Of  Cristes  mooder,  he  hadde  in  usage, 

As  hym  was  taught,  to  knele  adoun  and  seye 
His  Ave  Mark ,  as  he  goth  by  the  weye.  6120 
Thus  hath  this  wydwe  hir  litel  sone  ytaught 
Oure  blisful  lady,  Cristes  mooder  deere, 

To  worshipe  ay,  and  he  forgate  it  naught, 

For  sely3  child  wol  alday4  soone  leere,  — 

But  ay  whan  I  remembre  on  this  mateere, 

Seint  Nicholas  stant  evere  in  my  presence, 

For  he  so  yong  to  Crist  dide  reverence. 

This  litel  child  his  litel  book  lernynge, 

As  he  sat  in  the  scole  at  his  prymer, 

He  Alma  redemptoris'°  lierde  synge,  6130 

1  Chorister  boy.  2  Wont.  3  Good.  4  Always.  5  A  hymn  :  “O 
Nursing  Mother  of  the  Redeemer.” 


233 


THE  “  LITEL  CLERGEOUN.” 

As  children  lerned  hire  anthiphoner ; 1 
And,  as  he  dorste,  he  d rough  hym  ner  and 
ner,2  (i3>45°  T0 

And  herkned  ay  the  wordes  and  the  noote, 

Til  he  the  firste  vers  koude  3  al  by  rote. 

Noght  wiste  he  what  this  Latyn  was  to  seye, 
For  he  so  yong  and  tendre  was  of  age  ; 

But  on  a  day  his  felawe  gan  he  p.reye 
Texpounden  hym  this  song  in  his  langage, 

Or  telle  him  why  this  song  was  in  usage ; 

This  preyde  he  hym  to  construe  and  declare 
Ful  often  time  upon  hise  knowes  4  bare.  6141 
His  felawe,  which  that  elder  was  than  he, 
Answerde  hym  thus  :  “  This  song  I  have  herd 
seye 

Was  maked  of  oure  blisful  lady  free, 

Hire  to  salue,  and  eek  hire  for  to  preye 
To  been  oure  help  and  socour  whan  we  deye  ; 
I  kan  na  moore  expounde  in  this  mateere, 

I  lerne  song,  I  kan  but  smal  grammeere.” 

“  And  is  this  song  maked  in  reverence 
Of  Cristes  mooder  ?  ”  seyde  this  innocent.  6150 
“  Now  certes,  I  wol  do  my  diligence 
To  konne  it  al  er  Cristemasse  is  went, 

Though  that  I  for  my  prymer  shal  be  shent,5 
And  shal  be  beten  thries  in  an  houre, 

I  wol  it  konne  oure  lady  for  to  honoure  !  ” 

His  felawe  taughte  hym  homward  prively 

1  Anthem  book.  2  Nearer  and  nearer.  3  Knew.  4  Knees. 
B  Scolded. 


234 


THE  PRIORESS’S  TALE. 


Fro  day  to  day,  til  he  koude  1  it  by  rote, 

And  thanne  he  song  it  wel  and  boldely 
Fro  word  to  word  to  word,  acordynge  with  the 
note. 

Twies  a  day  it  passed  thurgh  his  throte,  6160 
To  scoleward  and  homward  whan  he  wente; 
On  Cristes  mooder  set  was  his  entente. 

As  I  have  seyd,  thurgh-out  the  Jewerie 
This  litel  child,  as  he  cam  to  and  fro, 

Ful  murily  wolde  he  synge  and  crie 
O  Alma  redemptoris  evere-mo. 

The  swetnesse  hath  2  his  herte  perced  so 
Of  Cristes  mooder,  that  to  hire  to  preye 
He  kan  nat  stynte  of  syngyng  by  the  weye. 

Oure  firste  foo,  the  serpent  Sathanas,  6170 
That  hath  in  Jewes  herte  his  waspes  nest, 

Up  swal,3  and  seide,  “  O  Hebrayk  peple,  alias ! 
Is  this  to  yow  a  thyng  that  is  honest 
That  swich  a  boy  shal  walken  as  hym  lest 
In  youre  despit,  and  synge  of  swich  sentence, 
Which  is  agayn  oure  lawes  reverence  ?  ” 

Fro  thennes  forth  the  Jewes  han  conspired 
This  innocent  out  of  this  world  to  chace. 

An  homycide  ther-to  han  they  hyred, 

That  in  an  aleye  hadde  a  privee  place  ;  6180 

And  as  the  child  gan  forby  for  to  pace, 

This  cursed  Jew  hym  hente4  and  heeld  hym 
faste,  (13,50°  T.) 

And  kitte  his  throte,  and  in  a  pit  hym  caste. 

1  Knew.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Swelled  up.  4  Seized. 


“  O  MARTIR,  SOWDED  TO  VIRGINITEE  !  ”  235 

I  seye  that  in  a  wardrobe 1  they  hym  threwe 
Where  as  thise  Jewes  purgen  hire  entraille. 

O  cursed  folk  of  Herodes  al  newe  ! 

What  may  youre  yvel  entente  yow  availle  ? 
Mordre  wol  out  certeyn,  it  wol  nat  faille, 

And  namely,  ther  2  thonour  of  God  shal  sprede 
The  blood  out-crieth  on  youre  cursed  dede. 

O  martir,  sowded  3  to  virginitee  !  6191 

Now  maystow  syngen,  folwynge  evere  in  oon 
The  white  Lamb  celestial,  quod  she, 

Of  which  the  grete  Evaungelist,  Seint  John, 

In  Pathmos  wroot,  which  seith  that  they  that 
goon 

Biforn  this  Lamb,  and  synge  a  song  al  newe, 
That  nevere  fleshly  wommen  they  ne  knewe. 

This  povre  wydwe  awaiteth  al  that  nyght 
After  hir  litel  child,  but  he  cam  noght, 

For  which,  as  soone  as  itwasdayes  lyght,  6200 
With  face  pale  of  drede  and  bisy  thoght, 

She  hath  at  scole  and  elles-where  hym  soght ; 
Til  finally  she  gan  so  fer  espie 
That  he  last  seyn  was  in  the  Jewerie. 

With  moodres  pitee  in  hir  brest  enclosed 
She  gooth,  as  she  were  half  out  of  hir  mynde, 
To  every  place  where  she  hath  supposed 
By  liklihede  hir  litel  child  to  fynde  ; 

And  evere  on  Cristes  mooder,  meeke  and  kynde, 
She  cride,  and  atte  laste  thus  she  wroghte, 
Among  the  cursed  Jewes  she  hym  soghte.  6211 

1  Privy.  2  Where.  3  Joined. 


236  THE  PRIORESS’S  TALE. 

She  frayneth  1  and  she  preyeth  pitously, 

To  every  Jew  that  dwelte  in  thilke  place, 

To  telle  hire  if  hir  child  wente  oght  forby. 
They  seyde  “  Nay,”  but  Jhesu  of  his  grace 
Gaf  in  hir  thoght  inwith  a  litel  space, 

That  in  that  place  after  hir  sone  she  cryde, 
Where  he  was  casten  in  a  pit  bisyde. 

O  grete  God  that  parfournest 2  thy  laude 
By  mouth  of  innocentz,  lo,  heere  thy  myght ! 
This  gemme  of  chastite,  this  emeraude,  6221 
And  eek  of  martirdom  the  ruby  bright, 

Ther  he,  with  throte  ykorven,3  lay  upright, 

He  Alma  rcdemptoris  gan  to  synge 
So  loude,  that  all  the  place  gan  to  rynge  ! 

The  cristene  folk  that  thurgh  the  strete  wente, 
In  coomen,  for  to  wondren  on  4  this  thyng; 
And  hastily  they  for  the  provost  sente. 

He  cam  anon,  with  outen  tariyng,  (13,547  t.) 
And  herieth  6  Crist  that  is  of  hevene  kyng, 

And  eek  his  mooder,  honour  of  mankynde, 

And  after  that  the  Jewes  leet  he  bynde.  6232 
This  child,  with  pitous  lamentacioun, 

Up  taken  was,  syngynge  his  song  alway ; 

And  with  honour  of  greet  processioun 
They  carien  hym  un-to  the  nexte  abbay. 

His  mooder  swownynge  6  by  his  beere  lay  ; 
Unnethe  myghte  the  peple  that  was  theere 
This  newe  Rachel  brynge  fro  his  beere. 

1  Asketh.  2  Performest.  3  Cut.  4  Elies.  MS.  has  “wondre  up 
on.”  0  Praiseth.  6  Swooning. 


THE  JEWS  DRAWN  AND  HUNG.  237 

With  torment,  and  with  shameful  cleeth 
echon,  6240 

This  provost  dooth  the  Jewes  for  to  sterve,1 
That  of  this  mordre  wiste,  and  that  anon  ; 

He  nolde  no  swich  cursednesse  observe,2 — 

“  Yvele  shal  have  that  yvele  wol  deserve,”  — 
Therfore  with  wilde  hors  he  dide  hem  drawe, 
And  after  that  he  heng  hem  by  the  lawe. 

Up-on  his  beere  ay  lith  this  innocent 
Biforn  the  chief  auter,  whil  masse  laste, 

And  after  that  the  abbot  with  his  covent  6249 
Han  sped  hem  for  to  burien  hym  ful  faste ; 
And  when  they  hooly  water  on  hym  caste, 

Yet  spak  this  child  whan  spreynd3  was  hooly 
water 

And  song,  O  Alma  redemptoris  7nater  ! 

This  abbot,  which  that  was  an  hooly  man, 

As  monkes  been,  or  elles  oghte  be, 

This  yonge  child  to  conjure  he  bigan, 

And  seyde,  “  O  deere  child,  I  halse  4  thee, 

In  vertu  of  the  hooly  Trinitee, 

Tel  me  what  is  thy  cause  for  to  synge,  6259 
Sith  that  thy  throte  is  kut  to  my  semynge  ?  ”  6 
“  My  throte  is  kut  un-to  my  nekke  boon,” 
Seyde  this  child,  “  and  as  by  wey  of  kynde  6 
I  sholde  have  dyed,  ye,  longe  tyme  agon  ; 

But  Jhesu  Crist,  as  ye  in  bookes  fynde, 

Wil  that  his  glorie  laste  and  be  in  mynde, 


1  Die.  2  Countenance.  3  Sprinkled.  4  Clasp  around  the  Heck, 
i.  e.,  entreat.  8  As  appears  to  me.  6  Nature. 


238  THE  PRIORESS’S  TALE. 

•* 

And,  for  the  worship  of  his  mooder  deere, 

Yet  may  I  synge  O  Alma  loude  and  cleere. 

“  This  welle 1  of  mercy,  Cristes  mooder  sweete, 
I  loved  alwey,  as  after  my  konnynge, 

And  whan  that  I  my  lyf  sholde  forlete,2  6270 
To  me  she  cam,  and  bad  me  for  to  synge 
This  anthem  verraily  in  my  deyynge, 

As  ye  han  herd,  and  whan  that  I  hadde  songe 
Me  thoughte  she  leyde  a  greyn  up-on  my 
tonge  : 

Wherfore  I  synge,  and  synge  I  moot  certeyn 
In  honour  of  that  blisful  mayden  free, 

Til  fro  my  tonge  of-taken  is  the  greyn  ; 

And  afterward  thus  seyde  she  to  me, 

‘  My  litel  child,  now  wol  I  fecche  thee 
Whan  that  the  greyn  is  fro  thy  tonge  ytake  ; 

Be  nat  agast,  I  wol  thee  nat  forsake.’  ”  6281 

This  hooly  monk,  this  abbot,  hym  meene  I, 
His  tonge  out  caughte  and  took  a-wey  the 
greyn,  (13,601  T.) 

And  he  gaf  up  the  goost  ful  softely. 

And  whan  this  abbot  hadde  this  wonder  seyn, 
Hise  salte  teeris  trikled  doun  as  reyn, 

And  gruf 3  he  fil,  al  plat  up-on  the  grounde, 
And  stille  he  lay  as  he  had  ben  4  ybounde. 

The  covent  eek  lay  on  the  pavement  6289 
Wepynge,  and  heryen  Cristes  mooder  deere, 
And  after  that  they  ryse  and  forth  been  went, 
And  tooken  awey  this  martir  from  his  beere  ; 

1  Source.  2  Yield  up.  3  Prostrate.  4  Elies.  MS.  has  “leyn.’* 


THE  HOST  TO  CHAUCER. 


239 


And  in  a  temple  of  marbul  stones  cleere, 
Enclosen  they  his  litel  body  sweete  : 

Ther  he  is  now,  God  leve  1  us  for  to  meete  ! 

O  yonge  Hugh  of  Lyncoln,2  slayn  also 
With  cursed  Jewes,  as  it  is  notable, 

For  it  is  but  a  litel  while  ago, 

Preye  eek  for  us,  we  synful  folk  unstable, 

That  of  his  mercy  God,  so  merciable,  6300 
On  us  his  grete  mercy  multiplie  (13,619  t.) 
For  reverence  of  his  mooder,  Marie.  Amen. 

Bihoold  the  murye  wordes  of  the  Hoost  to 
Chancer. 

Whan  seyd  was  al  this  miracle,  every  man 
As  sobre  was  that  wonder  was  to  se,  (13,622  t.) 
Til  that  oure  Hoost  japen  tho 3  bigan, 

And  thanne  at  erst  he  looked  up-on  me, 

And  seyde  thus  :  “  What  man  artow  ?  ”  quod  he ; 
“  Thou  lookest  as  thou  woldest  fynde  an  hare  ; 
For  evere  up-on  the  ground  I  se  thee  stare. 
Approche  neer,  and  looke  up  murily.  6310 
Now  war  yow,  siresk  and  lat  this  man  have 
place  ; 

He  in  the  waast  is  shape  as  wel  as  I ; 

This  were  a  popet  in  an  arm  tenbrace  4 
For  any  womman  smal,  and  fair  of  face. 

1  Grant.  2  The  story  of  Hugh  of  Lincoln  is  dated  1255.  A  story 
like  the  tale  of  the  Prioress,  entitled  A Iphonsits  0/  Lincoln,  was 

Frinted  by  the  Chaucer  Society  in  1875.  It  is  dated  1459,  however. 
Elies.  MS.  has  “to.”  4  To  embrace. 


24O  THE  RYME  OF  SIR  THOPAS. 


He  semeth  elvyssh  by  his  contenaunce, 

For  un-to  no  wight  dooth  he  claliaunce. 

Sey  now  somwhat,  syn  oother  folk  han  sayd  ; 
Telle  us  a  tale  of  myr'the,  and  that  anon.” 

“  Hoost,”  quod  I,  “  ne  beth  nat  yvele  apayd, 
For  oother  tale  certes  kan  I  noon,  6320 

But  of  a  rym  I  lerned  longe  agoon.” 

“  Ye,  that  is  good,”  quod  he,  “  now  shul  we 
heere 

Som  deyntee  thyng,  me  thynketh  by  his 
cheere  !  ” 


Heere  bigynneth  Chaucers  Tale  of  Thopas} 

THE  FIRST  FIT. 

Listeth,  lordes,  in  good  entent,  (13,642  T.) 
And  I  wol  telle  verrayment 
Of  myrthe  and  of  solas  ; 

A1  of  a  knyght  was  fair  and  gent2 
In  bataille  and  in  tourneyment, 

His  name  was  sire  Thopas. 

Yborn  he  was  in  fer  contree,  6330 

In  Flaundres  al  biyonde  the  see, 

At  Poperyng,3  in  the  place  ;  (13,650  t.) 

His  fader  was  a  man  ful  free, 

And  lord  he  was  of  that  contree, 

As  it  was  Goddes  grace. 

1  This  laughable  burlesque  is  full  of  phrases  suggestive  of  the  ab¬ 
surd  metrical  romances  it  is  intended  to  satirize  by  imitation  and 
exaggeration.  2  Gentle.  3  A  parish  twenty-six  miles  from  Ostend. 


241 


“sire  thopas  wolde  out  ride.” 

Sire  Thopas  wax  a  doghty  swayn  ; 

Whit  was  his  face  as  payndemayn,1 
Hise  lippes  rede  as  rose  ; 

His  rode  2  is  lyk  scarlet  in  grayn,3 
And  I  yow  telle  in  good  certayn  6340 

He  hadde  a  semely  nose. 

His  heer,  his  herd,  Avas  lyk  saffroun, 

That  to  his  girdel  raughte  4  adoun ; 

Hise  shoon  of  cordewane. 

Of  Brugges  were  his  hosen  broun, 

His  robe  was  of  syklatoun  5 
That  coste  many  a  jape.6 

He  koude  hunte  at  wilde  deer, 

And  ride  an  haukyng  for  river 7 

With  grey  goshauk  on  honde  ;  6350 

Ther-to  he  was  a  good  archeer  ; 

Of  wrastlyng  was  ther  noon  his  peer, 

Ther  any  ram  8  shal  stonde. 

Ful  many  a  mayde  bright  in  bour  9 
They  moorne  for  hym ,  paramoicr, 

Whan  hem  were  bet  to  slepe ; 

But  he  was  chaast,  and  no  lechour, 

And  sweete  as  is  the  brembul  flour 
That  bereth  the  rede  hepe.10 

And  so  bifel  up-on  a  day  6360 

For  sothe,  as  I  yow  telle  may, 

Sire  Thopas  wolde  out  ride  ; 

1  Bread  of  our  Lord,  the  very  finest.  2  Complexion.  3  Dyed  with 
cochineal.  Cf.  1.  9071.  4  Reached.  5  A  costly  cloth.  6  Coin  of 

Genoa.  7  River  fowl.  Cf.  1.  10,926.  8  The  usual  prize  at  a  wrest¬ 

ling-match.  Cf.  1.  548.  9  Chamber.  10  Fruit  of  the  dog  rose. 

VOL.  I.  l6 


242  THE  RYME  OF  SIR  THOPAS. 

He  worth  1  upon  his  steede  gray, 

And  in  his  hand  a  launcegay, 

A  long  swerd  by  his  side. 

He  priketh  thurgh  a  fair  forest 
Ther-inne  is  many  a  wilde  best, 

Ye,  bothe  bukke  and  hare  ; 

And  as  he  priketh  north  and  est 
I  telle  it  yow  hym  hadde  almest  63 70 

Bitidde 2  a  sory  care. 

Ther  spryngen  herbes  grete  and  smale, 

The  lycorys  and  cetewale  3 
And  many  a  clowe-gylofre,4 
And  notemuge  to  putte  in  ale, 

Wheither  it  be  moyste  or  stale, 

Or  for  to  leye  in  cofre. 

The  briddes  synge,  it  is  no  nay, 

The  sparhauk  and  the  p  ape  jay, 

That  joye  it  was  to  heere.  6380 

The  thrustelcok  made  eek  hir  lay, 

The  wodedowve  5  up-on  the  spray  (13,700  t.) 
She  sang  ful  loude  and  cleere. 

Sire  Thopas  fil  in  love-longynge 
A1  whan  he  herde  the  thrustel  synge, 

And  pryked 0  as  he  were  wood  ; 

His  faire  steede  in  his  prikynge 
So  swatte  that  men  myghte  him  wrynge, 

His  sydes  were  al  blood. 

Sire  Thopas  eek  so  wery  was  6390 

1  Was.  2  Happened.  3  Valerian.  4  Clove.  6  Wood  dove. 
6  Rode  hard,  by  spurring  his  steed. 


“AN  ELF-QUEENE  WOL  I  LOVE.”  243 

For  prikyng,  on  the  softe  gras,  — 

So  fiers  was  his  corage,  — 

That  doun  he  leyde  him  in  that  plas 
To  make  his  steede  som  solas, 

And  gaf  hym  good  forage. 

“  O  seinte  Marie,  benedicite  ! 

What  eyleth  this  love  at  me 
To  bynde  me  so  soore  ? 

Me  dremed  al  this  nyght,  pardee , 

An  Elf-queene  shal  my  lemman  be-  6400 

And  slepe  under  my  goore.1 
An  Elf-queene  wol  I  love,  ywis, 

For  in  this  world  no  womman  is 
Worthy  to  be  my  make  2 
In  towne. 

Alle  othere  wommen  I  forsake, 

And  to  an  Elf-queene  I  me  take 
By  dale  and  eek  by  downe.” 

In-to  his  sadel  he  clamb  anon, 

And  priketh  over  stile  and  stoon  6410 

An  Elf-queene  for  tespye  ; 

Til  he  so  longe  hadde  riden  and  goon 
That  he  foond  in  a  pryve  woon 3 
The  contree  of  Fairye 
So  wilde; 

For  in  that  contree  was  ther  noon 
That  to  him  dorste  ryde  or  goon,4 
Neither  wyf  ne  childe  ; 

Til  that  ther  cam  a  greet  geaunt, 


1  Garment.  2  Mate.  3  Resort.  4  This  line  notin  Elies.  MS. 


244  THE  RYME  of  sir  thopas. 

V 

His  name  was  sire  Olifaunt,1  6420 

A  perilous  man  of  clede. 

He  seyde,  “  Child,  by  Termagaunt ! 2 
But  if  thou  prike  out  of  myn  haunt, 

Anon  I  sle  thy  steede 
With  mace  ! 

Heere  is  the  queene  of  Fairye, 

With  harpe,  and  pipe,  and  symphonye, 
Dwellynge  in  this  place.” 

The  child' seyde,  “  A1  so  moote  I  thee  !  3 
Tomorwe  wol  I  meete  with  thee  6430 

Whan  I  have  myn  armoure. 

And  yet  I  hope,  par  via  fay *  (13,  75°  T-) 

That  thou  shalt  with  this  launcegay 
Abyen  it  ful  sowre  ; 

Thy  mawe 

Shal  I  percen,  if  I  may, 

Er  it  be  fully  pryme  of  day,5 
For  heere  thow  shalt  be  slawe.” 

Sire  Thopas  drow  abak  ful  faste  ; 

This  geant  at  hym  stones  caste  6440 

Out  of  a  fel  staf-slynge  ; 

But  faire  escapeth  sire  Thopas  ; 

And  al  it  was  thurgh  Goddes  gras, 

And  thurgh  his  fair  berynge. 

Yet  listeth,  lordes,  to  my  tale 
Murier  than  the  nightyngale, 

For  now6  I  wol  yow  rowne  7 

1  Elephant.  2  An  imaginary  idol.  8  Thrive.  4  By  my  faith. 

8  Nine  a.  m.  6  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  7  Whisper. 


SIRE  THOPAS  ARMS  HIM.  245 

How  sir  Thopas,  with  sydes  smale, 

Prikyng  over  hill  and  dale 

Is  comen  agayn  to  towne.  6450 

His  murie  men  comanded  he 

To  make  hym  bothe  game  and  glee, 

For  nedes  moste  he  fighte 

With  a.geaunt,  with  hevedes  1  three, 

For  paramour  and  jolitee 
Of  oon  that  shoon  ful  brighte. 

“  Do  come,”  he  seyde,  “  my  mynstrales, 

And  geestours  for  to  tellen  tales, 

Anon  in  myn  armynge  ; 

Of  romances  that  been  roiales  6460 

Of  Popes  and  of  Cardinales 
And  eek  of  love-likynge.” 

They  sette  hym  first  the  sweete  wyn 
And  mede  eek  in  a  mazelyn,2 
And  roial  spicerye  ; 

And  gyngebreed  that  was  ful  fyn, 

And  lycorys,  and  eek  comyn, 

With  sugre  that  is  so  trye.3 
He  dide  next  his  white  leere  4 
Of  clooth  of  lake,  fyn  and  cleere,  6470 

A  breech  and  eek  a  sherte ; 

And  next  his  sherte  an  aketoun,6 
And  over  that  an  haubergeoun 
For  percynge  of  his  herte ; 

And  over  that  a  fyn  hawberk, 

Was  al  ywroght  of  Jewes  werk, 


1  Heads.  2  Cup.  3  Refined.  4  Skin.  5  Leathern  coat. 


246  THE  RYME  OF  SIR  THOPAS. 

Ful  strong  it  was  of  plate  ; 

And  over  that  his  cote  armour, 

As  whit  as  is  a  lilye  flour, 

In  which  he  wol  debate.1  6480 

His  sheeld  was  al  of  gold  so  reed, 

And  ther-inne  was  a  bores  heed, 

A  charbocle  bisyde  ;  (13,800  T.) 

And  there  he  swoor,  on  ale  and  breed, 

How  that  the  geaunt  shal  be  deed, 

“  Bityde  what  bityde  !  ” 

Hise  jambeux  were  of  quyrboilly,2 
His  swerdes  shethe  of  yvory, 

His  helm  of  laton  3  bright  ; 

His  sadel  was  of  rewel 4  boon  ;  6490 

His  brydel  as  the  sonne  shoon, 

Or  as  the  moone  light. 

His  spere  it  was  of  fyn  ciprees,5 
That  bodeth  werre,  and  no  thyng  pees, 

The  heed  ful  sharpe  ygrounde  ; 

His  steede  was  al  dappull-gray, 

It  gooth  an  ambil  in  the  way 
Ful  softely  and  rounde 
In  londe. 

Loo,  lordes  myne,  heere  is  a  Fit ;  6500 

If  ye  wol  any  moore  of  it 
To  telle  it  wol  I  fonde.6 


1  Strive.  2  Stiff  leather  that  had  been  soaked  in  hot  water. 
8  Brass.  4  Rounded  (?).  6  Cypress-wood.  6  Try. 


247 


“  GOD  SHILDE  HIS  CORS.” 


THE  SECOND  FIT. 

Now  holcle  youre  mouth,  par  charitee , 

Bothe  knyght  and  lady  free, 

And  herkneth  to  my  spelle  ; 

Of  batailles  and  of  chivalry, 

And  of  ladyes  love-drury,1 
Anon  I  wol  yow  telle. 

Men  speken  of  romances  of  prys,2  — 

Of  Hornchild,  and  of  Ypotys,  6510 

Of  Beves  and  of  sir  Gy, 

Of  sir  Lybeux  and  Pleyn-d amour  ; 

But  sir  Thopas  he  bereth  the  flour 
Of  roial  chivalry  ! 

His  goode  steede  al  he  bistrood, 

And  forth  upon  his  wey  he  rood, 

As  sparcle  out  of  the  bronde  ; 

Up  on  his  creest  he  bar  a  tour, 

And  ther  inne  stiked  a  lilie  flour,  — 

God  shilde  his  cors  fro  shonde  ! 3  6520 

And  for  he  was  a  knyght  auntrous,4 
He  nolde  slepen  in  noon  hous, 

But  liggen  5  in  his  hoode  ; 

His  brighte  helm  was  his  wonger,6 
And  by  hym  baiteth  his  dextrer 7 
Of  herbes  fyne  and  goode  ; 

Hym  self  drank  water  of  the  well,8 

1  Courtship.  2  Prize.  3  Harm.  4  Adventurous.  5  Lie. 
9  Pillow.  7  War-horse.  8  Spring. 


248  “THE  HOOST  STYNTETH  CHAUCER.” 

As  dide  the  knyght  sire  Percyvell, 

So  worthy  under  wede ; 1 

Til  on  a  day -  (13,846  t.) 

Heere  the  Hoost  stynteth  Chancer  of  his  Tale  of 
Thopas. 

“  Na  moore  of  this,  for  Goddes  dignitee  !  ” 
Quod  oure  Hoost,  “for  thou  makest  me  6532 
So  wery  of  thy  verray  lewednesse  2  (13,849  t.) 
That,  also  wisly  God  my  soule  blesse, 

Min  eres  aken  of  thy  drasty 3  speche. 

Now  swich  a  rym  the  devel  I  biteche  ! 4 
This  may  wel  be  rym  dogerel,”  quod  he. 

“  Why  so  ?  ”  quod  I ;  “  why  wiltow  lette  me 
Moore  of  my  tale  than  another  man, 

Syn  that  it  is  the  beste  ryme  5  I  kan  ?  ”  6540 

“  By  God,”  quod  he,  “  for  pleynly  at  a  word, 
Thy  drasty  rymyng  is  nat  worth  a  toord  ; 

Thou  doost  noght  elles  but  despendest  tyme  ; 
Sire,  at  o  word,  thou  shalt  no  lenger  ryme. 

Lat  se  wher  thou  kanst  tellen  aught  in  geeste,6 
Or  telle  in  prose  somwhat,  at  the  leeste, 

In  which  ther  be  som  murthe,  or  som  doc- 
tryne.” 

“  Gladly,”  quod  I,  “  by  Goddes  sweete  pyne  ! 
I  wol  yow  telle  a  litel  thyng  in  prose 
That  oghte  liken  yow,  as  I  suppose,  6550 


1  Arms.  2  Foolish  talk.  3  Filthy.  4  Hand  over  to.  B  Elles 
MS.  has  “  tale.”  6  Like  the  Gesta  Romtmorum ,  for  example. 


CHAUCER  SPEAKS. 


249 


Or  elles,  certes,  ye  been  to  daungerous.1 
It  is  a  moral  tale  vertuous, 

A1  be  it  told 2  somtyme  in  sondry  wyse  3 
Of  sundry  folk,  as  I  shal  yow  devyse. 

“  As  thus  ;  ye  woot  that  every  Evaungelist 
That  telleth  us  the  peyne  of  Jhesu  Crist 
Ne  seith  nat  alle  thyng  as  his  felawe  dooth ; 

But  nathelees  hir  sentence  is  al  sooth, 

And  alle  acorden  as  in  hire  sentence,4 
Al  be  ther  in  hir  tellyng  difference  ;  6560 

For  somme  of  hem  seyn  moore,  and  somme 
seyn  lesse, 

Whan  they  his  pitous  passioun  expresse,  — 

I  meene  of  Marke,  Mathew,  Luc  and  John, — 
But  doutelees  hir  sentence  is  all  oon. 

“  Therfore,  lordynges  alle,  I  yow  biseche 
If  that  ye  thynke  I  varie  as  in  my  speche, 

As  thus,  though  that  I  telle  som-what  moore 
Of  proverbes,  than  ye  han  herd  bifoore 
Comprehended  in  this  litel  tretys  heere, 

To  enforce  with  theffect  of  my  mateere  ;  6570 
And  though  I  nat  the  same  wordes  seye, 

As  ye  han  herd,  yet  to  yow  alle  I  preye, 
Blameth  me  nat,  for  as  in  my  sentence 
Ye  shul  not  fynden  moche  difference  6 
Fro  the  sentence  of  this  tretys  lyte  6  (13,891  T.) 
After  the  which  this  mu  rye  tale  I  write  ; 

1  Fastidious.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “take.”  3  This  is  a  reference  to 
the  fact  that  the  following  tale  is  not  a  literal  translation  from  the 
Latin  of  Albertano  of  Brescia.  4  Sense.  6  Elles.  MS.  has  “  shul 
ye  nowher  fynden  difference.”  6  Little. 


250  CHAUCER  S  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

And  therfore  herkneth  what  that  I  shal  seye, 
And  lat  me  tellen  al  my  tale,1  I  preye.”  6578 

Heere  bigynneth  Chaucer's  Tale  of  Melibee. 

A  yong  man  called  Melibeus,  myghty  and 
riche,  bigat  up  on  his  wyf,  that  called  was  Pru~ 
dence,  a  doghter  whieh  that  called  was  Sophie. 

[6580 2]  Upon  a  day  bifel,  that  he  for  his  de¬ 
sport  is  went  in  to  the  feeldes,  hym  to  pleye  : 
his  wyf  and  eek  his  doghter  hath  he  left  inwith 
his  hous,  of  which  the  dores  weren  fast  yshette. 
Thre  of  hise  olde  foes  han  it  espyed,  and  setten 
laddres  to  the  walles  of  his  hous,  and  by  wyn- 
dowes  been  entred,  and  betten  his  wyf,  and 
wounded  his  doghter  with  fyve  mortal  woundes 
in  fyve  sondry  places,  —  this  is  to  seyn,  in  hir 
feet,  in  hire  handes,  in  hir  erys,  in  hir  nose, 
and  in  hire  mouth,  —  and  leften  hire  for  deed, 
and  wenten  awey. 

Whan  Melibeus  retourned  was  in  to  his  hous 
and  saugh  al  this  meschief,  he,  lyk  a  mad  man, 
rentynge  his  clothes,  gan  to  wepe  and  crie. 

Prudence,  his  wyf,  as  ferforth  as  she  dorste, 
bisoghte  hym  of  his  wepyng  for  to  stynte ;  but 
nat  for-thy 3  he  gan  to  crie  and  wepen  evere 
lenger  the  moore. 

1  Chaucer’s  original  in  this  case  was  the  Liber  Consolationis  et 
Consilii,  of  Albertano  of  Brescia,  a  free  French  translation  of  which, 
said  to  be  by  Jean  de  Meung,  was  used  by  the  poet.  The  Latin  was 
issued  by  the  Chaucer  Society  in  1873.  2  Every  tenth  break  made 

by  Tyrwhitt,  and  followed  in  the  Six-Text  edition,  is  numbered 
here.  3  Therefore. 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  PRUDENCE.  251 

This  noble  wyf  Prudence  remembred  hire 
upon  the  sentence  of  Ovide,  in  his  book  that 
cleped  is  The  Remedie  of  Love,  where  as 
he  seith,  “  He  is  a  fool  that  destourbeth  the 
rnooder  to  wepen  in  the  deeth  of  hire  child, 
til  she  have  wept  hir  fille,  as  for  a  certein  tyme, 
[6590]  and  thanne  shal  man  doon  his  diligence 
with  amyable  wordes  hire  to  reconforte,  and 
preyen  hire  of  hir  wepyng  for  to  stynte.”  For 
which  resoun  this  noble  wyf  Prudence  suffred 
hir  housbonde  for  to  wepe  and  crie  as  for  a 
certein  space ;  and  whan  she  saugh  hir  tyme, 
she  seyde  hym  in  this  wise  :  “  Allas,  my  lord,” 
quod  she,  “  why  make  ye  youre  self  for  to  be 
lyk  a  fool !  For  sothe  it  aperteneth  nat  to  a 
wys  man  to  maken  swiche  a  sorwe.  Youre 
doghter  with  the  grace  of  God  shal  warisshe  1 
and  escape  ;  and,  al  were  it  so  that  she  right 
now  were  deed,  ye  ne  oughte  nat,  as  for  hir 
deeth,  youre  self  to  destroye.  Senek  seith, 
‘  The  wise  man  shal  nat  take  to  greet  discon- 
fort  for  the  deeth  of  his  children,  but,  certes, 
he  shokle  suffren  it  in  pacience  as  wel  as  he 
abideth  the  deeth  of  his  owene  propre  per- 
sone.’  ” 

This  Melibeus  answerde  anon,  and  seyde, 
“  What  man,”  quod  he,  “  sholde  of  his  wepyng 
stente  that  hath  so  greet  a  cause  for  to  wepe  ? 
Jhesu  Crist,  oure  Lord,  hym  self  wepte  for  the 
deeth  of  Lazarus  hys  freend.” 

1  Recover. 


252  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

[6600]  Prudence  answerde,  “  Certes,  wel  I 
woot  attempree  1  wepyng  is  no  thyng  deffended2 
to  hym  that  sorweful  is  amonges  folk  in  sorwe, 
but  it  is  rather  graunted  hym  to  wepe. 

“  The  Apostle  Paul  un-to  the  Romayns  writ- 
eth,  ‘  Man  shal  rejoyse  with  hem  that  maken 
joye,  and  wepen  with  swich  folk  as  wepen;’ 
but  though  attempree  wepyng  be  ygraunted, 
outrageous  wepyng  certes  is  deffended.  Mes- 
ure  of  wepyng  sholde  be  considered,  after  the 
loore  that  techeth  us  Senek  :  ‘Whan  that  thy 
trend  is  deed,’  quod  he,  ‘  lat  nat  thyne  eyen  to 
moyste  been  of  teeris,  ne  to  muche  drye ;  al¬ 
though  the  teeris  come  to  thyne  eyen,  lat  hem 
nat  falle,  and  whan  thou  hast  for-goon 3  thy 
freend,  do  diligence  to  gete  another  freend, 
and  this  is  moore  wysdom  than  for  to  wepe  for 
thy  freend  which  that  thou  hast  lorn,  for  ther- 
inne  is  no  boote ;  ’  and  therfore,  if  ye  governe 
yow  by  sapience,  put  awey  sorwe  out  of  youre 
herte.  Remembre  yow  that  Jhesus  Syrak  seith, 
‘  A  man  that  is  joyous,  and  glad  in  herte,  it  hym 
conserveth  florissynge  in  his  age,  but  soothly 
sorweful  herte  maketh  hise  bones  drye.’  He 
seith  eek  thus,  that  sorwe  in  herte  sleeth  ful 
many  a  man.  Salomon  seith  that  ‘  right  as 
motthes  in  the  shepes  flees 4  anoyeth  to  the 
clothes,  and  the  smale  wormes  to  the  tree,  right 
[6610]  so  anoyeth  sorwe  to  the  herte  ;  ’  wherfore 

1  Temperate.  2  Forbidden.  3  Lost.  4  Sheep’s  fleece. 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  PRUDENCE.  253 

us  oghte  as  wel  in  the  deeth  of  oure  children 
as  in  the  losse  of  oure  1  goodes  temporels  have 
pacience. 

“  Remembre  yow  up  on  the  pacient  J ob. 
Whan  he  hadde  lost  his  children  and  his  tem- 
poreel  substance,  and  in  his  body  endured  and 
receyved  ful  many  a  grevous  tribulacion,  yet 
seyde  he  thus  :  ‘  Oure  Lord  [has  given  it  to 
me  ;  our  Lord 2]  hath  biraft  it  me  ;  right  as  oure 
Lord  hath  wold,  right  so  it  is  doon  ;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  oure  Lord  !  ’  ” 

To  thise  foreseide  thynges  answerde  Melibeus 
un-to  his  wyf  Prudence  :  “  Alle  thy  wordesp’ 
quod  he,  “  been  sothe,  and  therwith  profitable, 
but  trewely  myn  herte  is  troubled  with  this 
sorwe  so  grevously  that  I  noot  what  to  doone.” 

“  Lat  calle,”  quod  Prudence,  “thy  trewe 
freendes  alle,  and  thy  lynage  whiche  that  been 
wise.  Telleth  youre  cas  and  herkneth  what 
they  seye  in  conseillyng,  and  yow  governe  after 
hire  sentence.  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Werk  alle  thy 
thynges  by  conseil,  and  thou  shalt  never  re¬ 
pented  ” 

Thanne  by  the  conseil  of  his  wyf  Prudence 
this  Melibeus  leet  callen  a  greet  congregacioun 
of  folk,  as  surgiens,  phisiciens,  olde  folk  and 
yonge,  and  somme  of  hise  olde  enemys  recon- 
siled,  as  by  hir  semblaunt,  to  his  love  and  in  to 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “othere.”  2  From  the  French.  Not  in  Elies. 
MS. 


254  CHAUCER’S  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

his  grace,  and  ther-with-al  ther  coomen  sonime 
of  hise  neighebores  that  diden  hym  reverence 
moore  for  drede  than  for  love,  as  it  happeth 
ofte.  Ther  coomen  also  ful  many  subtille  flat- 
ereres,  and  wise  advocatz,  lerned  in  the  lawe. 

[6620]  And  whan  this  folk  togidre  assembled 
weren,  this  Melibeus  in  sorweful  wise  shewed 
hem  his  cas,  and  by  the  manere  of  his  speche 
it  semed  wel  that  in  herte  he  baar  a  crueel 
ire,  redy  to  doon  vengeance  up-on  hise  foes, 
and  sodeynly  desired  that  the  werre  sholde 
bigynne,  but  nathelees,  yet  axed  he  hire  con- 
seil  upon  this  matiere. 

A  surgien,  by  licence  and  assent  of  swiche  as 
weren  wise,  up  roos  and  to  Melibeus  seyde  as 
ye  may  heere  :  “  Sire,”  quod  he,  “  as  to  us  sur- 
giens  aperteneth  that  we  do  to  every  wight  the 
beste  that  we  lean,  where  as  we  been  withholde,1 
and  to  oure  pacientz  that  we  do  no  damage  ; 
wherfore  it  happeth  many  tyme  and  ofte  that 
whan  twey  men  han  everich  wounded  oother, 
oon  same  surgien  heeleth  hem  bothe ;  wher¬ 
fore  un-to  oure  art  it  is  nat  pertinent  to  norice 
werre,  ne  parties  to  supporte.  But  certes,  as 
to  the  warisshynge  2  of  youre  doghter,  al  be  it 
so  that  she  perilously  be  wounded,  we  shullen 
do  so  ententif  bisynesse  fro  day  to  nyght  that 
with  the  grace  of  God  she  shal  be  hool  and 
sound  as  soone  as  is  possible.” 

1  Retained.  2  Curing. 


A  MULTITUDE  OF  COUNSELLORS.  255 

Almoost  right  in  the  same  wise  the  phisi- 
ciens  answerden,  save  that  they  seyden  a  fewe 
woordes  moore  ;  that  right  as  maladies  been 
cured  by  hir  contraries,  right  so  shul  men 
warisshe  werre  by  vengeaunce. 

[6630]  Hise  neighebores  ful  of  envye,  hise 
feyned  freendes  that  semeden  recon siled,  and 
hise  flatereres  maden  semblant  of  wepyng,  and 
empeireden  1  and  agreggeden  2  muchel  of  this 
matiere,  in  preisynge  greetly  Melibee,  of  myght, 
of  power,  of  richesse,  and  of  freendes,  despis- 
ynge  the  power  of  hise  adversaries,  and  seiden 
outrely  that  he  anon  sholde  wreken  hym  on  hise 
foes,  and  bigynne  werre. 

Up  roos  thanne  an  advocat  that  was  wys,  by 
leve  and  by  conseil  of  othere  that  were  wise, 
and  seide,  “  Lordynges,  the  nede  for  which  we 
been  assembled  in  this  place  is  a  ful  hevy 
thyng,  and  an  heigh  matiere,  by  cause  of  the 
wrong  and  of  the  wikkednesse  that  hath  be 
doon,  and  eek  by  resoun  of  the  grete  damages 
that  in  tyme  comynge  been  possible  to  fallen 
for  this  same  cause,  and  eek  by  resoun  of  the 
grete  richesse  and  power  of  the  parties  bothe, 
for  the  whiche  resouns  it  were  a  ful  greet  peril 
to  erren  in  this  matiere  ;  wherfore,  Melibeus, 
this  is  oure  sentence  ;  we  conseille  yow  aboven 
alle  thyng,  that  right  anon  thou  do  thy  dili¬ 
gence  in  kepynge  of  thy  propre  persone  in 

1  Impaired.  2  Aggravated. 


256  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

swich  a  wise  that  thou  wante 1  noon  espie,  ne 
wacche,  thy  persone  for  to  save  ;  and  after 
that  we  conseille  that  in  thyn  hous  thou  sette 
sufficeant  garnisoun,  so  that  they  may  as  wel 
[6640]  thy  body  as  thyn  hous  defende  ;  but 
certes,  for  to  moeve  werre,  or  sodeynly  for  to 
doon  vengeaunce,  we  may  nat  demen  2  in  so 
litel  tyme  that  it  were  profitable.  Wherfore 
we  axen  leyser  and  espace  8  to  have  delibera- 
cioun  in  this  cas  to  deme,  for  the  commune 
proverbe  seith  thus  :  ‘  He  that  soone  deemeth, 
soone  shal  repente ;  ’  and  eek  men  seyn  that 
thilke  juge  is  wys  that  soone  understondeth  a 
matiere  and  juggeth  by  leyser ;  for,  al  be  it  so 
that  alle  tariyng  be  anoyful,  algates  it  is  nat  to 
repreve  in  gevynge  of  juggement,  ne  in  venge¬ 
ance  takyng,  whan  it  is  sufficeant  and  reson- 
able  ;  and  that  shewed  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist 
by  ensample,  for  whan  that  the  womman  that 
was  taken  in  avowtrie  4  was  broght  in  his  pres¬ 
ence  to  knowen  what  sholde  be  doon  with  hire 
persone,  —  al  be  it  so  that  he  wiste  wel  hym 
self  what  that  he  wolde  answere,  —  yet  ne 
wolde  he  nat  answere  sodeynly,  but  he  wolde 
have  deliberacioun,  and  in  the  ground  he 
wroot  twies  ;  and  by  thise  causes  we  axen  de¬ 
liberacioun,  and  we  shal  thanne,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  conseille  thee  thyng  that  shal  be  profit¬ 
able.” 

1  Lack.  -  Judge.  3  Leisure  and  time.  4  Adultery. 


THE  OLD,  WISE  COUNSELLOR.  257 

Up  stirten  thanne  the  yonge  folk  atones, 
and  the  mooste  partie  of  that  compaignye 
scorned  the  wise  olde  men,  and  bigonnen  to 
make  noyse,  and  seyden  that  “  Right  so  as 
whil  that  iren  is  hoot  men  sholden  smyte,  right 
so  men  sholde  wreken  hir  wronges  while  that 
they  been  fresshe  and  newe  ‘  ”  and  with  loud 
voys  they  criden,  “  Werre  !  werre  !  ” 

Up  roos  tho  oon  of  thise  olde  wise,1  and  with 
his  hand  made  contenaunce  that  men  sholde 
holden  hem  stille,  and  geven  hym  audience. 

[6650]  “Lordynges,”  quod  he,  “  ther  is  ful 
many  a  man  that  crieth  ‘  Werre!  werre  !  ’  that 
woot  ful  litel  what  werre  amounteth.  Werre 
at  his  bigynnyng  hath  so  greet  an  entryng  and 
so  large,  that  every  wight  may  entre  whan 
hym  liketh  and  lightly  fynde  werre  ;  but  certes, 
what  ende  that  shal  ther-of  bifalle  it  is  nat  light 2 
to  knowe  ;  for  soothly,  whan  that  werre  is  ones 
bigonne  ther  is  ful  many  a  child  unborn  of  his 
mooder  that  shal  sterve  yong  by  cause  of  that 
ilke  werre,  or  elles  lyve  in  sorwe,  and  dye  in 
wrecchednesse  ;  and  ther  fore,  er  that  any  werre 
bigynne,  men  moste  have  greet  conseil  and 
greet  deliberacioun.” 

And  whan  this  olde  man  wende  3  to  enforcen 
his  tale  by  resons,  wel  ny  alle  atones  bigonne 
they  to  rise  fore  to  breken 4  his  tale,  and  beden 
hym  ful  ofte  hise  wordes  for  to  abregge  ;  for 

1  Wise  men.  2  Easy.  3  Thought.  4  Break  off. 

VOL.  I.  17 


258  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

soothly,  he  that  precheth  to  hem  that  listen 
nat  heeren 1  hise  wordes,  his  sermon  hem  anoi- 
eth  ;  for  Jhesus  Syrak  seith,  that  “musik  in 
wepynge  is  anoyous  thyng  ;  ”  this  is  to  seyn,  as 
muche  availleth  to  speken  bifore  folk  to  whiche 
his  speche  anoyeth,  as  it  is  to  synge  biforn  hym 
that  wepeth.  And  this  wise  man  saugh  that 
hym  wanted  audience,  and  al  shamefast  he  sette 
hym  doun  agayn  ;  for  Salomon  seith,  “Ther  as 
thou  ne  mayst  have  noon  audience,  enforce 
thee  nat  to  speke.” 

[6660]  “  I  see  wel,”  quod  this  wise  man, 
“  that  the  commune  proverbe  is  sooth,  ‘  That 
good  conseil  wanteth  whan  it  is  moost  nede.’  ” 

Yet  hackle  this  Melibeus  in  his  conseil  many 
folk  that  prively  in  his  eere  conseilled  hym  cer- 
teyn  thyng,  and  conseilled  hym  the  contrarie 
in  general  audience. 

Whan  Melibeus  hackle  herd  that  the  gretteste 
partie  of  his  conseil  weren  accorded  2  that  he 
sholde  maken  werre,  anoon,  he  consented  to 
hir  conseillyng  and  fully  affermed  hire  sen¬ 
tence. 

Thanne  dame  Prudence,  whan  that  she 
saugh  how  that  hir  housbonde  shoope  hym  for 
to  wreken  hym  on  hise  foes,  and  to  bigynne 
werre,  she  in  ful  humble  wise,  whan  she  saugh 
hir  tyme,  seide  to  hym  thise  wordes. 

“  My  lord,”  quod  she,  “  I  yow  biseche,  as 


1  Care  not  to  hear.  2  Agreed. 


HASTE  UNPROFITABLE. 


259 


hertely  as  I  dar  and  kan,  ne  haste  yow  nat  to 
faste,  and  for  alle  gerdons,  as  geveth  me  au¬ 
dience  •  for  Piers  Alfonce  seith,  4  Who  so  that 
dooth  to  that  oother  good  or  harm,  haste  thee 
nat  to  quiten  it ;  for  in  this  wise  thy  freend 
wole  abyde,1  and  thyn  enemy  shal  the  lenger 
lyve  in  drede.’  The  proverbe  seith,  ‘  He  hast- 
eth  wel  that  wisely  kan  abyde,2  and  in  wikked 
haste  is  no  profit.’  ” 

This  Melibee  answerde  un-to  his  wyf  Pru¬ 
dence,  “  I  purpose  nat,”  quod  he,  “  to  werke  by 
thy  conseil,  for  many  causes  and  resouns  ;  for 
certes,  every  wight  wolde  holde  me  thanne  a 
fool.  This  is  to  seyn,  if  I,  for  thy  conseillyng, 
wolde  chaungen  thynges  that  been  ordeyned 
and  affermed  by  so  manye  wyse.3  Secound- 
ly,  I  seye  that  alle  wommen  been  wikke,  and 
noon  good  of  hem  alle ;  for,  4  Of  a  thousand 
men,’  seith  Salomon,  4 1  foond  a  good  man,  but 
certes,  of  alle  wommen,  good  womman  foond  I 
[6670]  nevere ;  ’  and  also,  certes,  if  I  governed 
me  by  thy  conseil,  it  sholde  seme  that  I  hadde 
geve  to  thee  over  me  the  maistrie,  and  God  for- 
bede  that  it  so  weere  !  for  Jhesus  Syrak  seith, 
that  if  the  wyf  have  maistrie  she  is  contrarious 
to  hir  housbonde ;  and  Salomon  seith,  ‘Nevere 
in  thy  lyf,  to  thy  wyf,  ne  to  thy  child,  ne  to  thy 
freend,  ne  geve  no  power  over  thy  self,  for 
bettre  it  were  that  thy  children  aske  of  thy 


1  Remain.  2  Wait.  3  Wise  men. 


260  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

person e  thynges  that  hem  nedeth  than  thou  be 
thy  self  in  the  handes  of  thy  children  ;  ’  and  if 
I  wolcle  werke  by  thy  conseillyng,  certes,  my 
conseillyng  moste  som  tyme  be  secree  til  it 
were  tyme  that  it  moste  be  knowe,  and  this  ne 
may  noght  be  [for  it  is  written,  ‘The  jangle- 
rie  of  women  can  hide  thyngis  that  they  wot 
nought;’  furthermore,  the  philosophre  saith, 
‘  In  wikke  conseyl  women  venquysse  men ;  ’  and 
for  these  reasons  I  ought  not  to  make  use  of  thy 
counsel *].” 

Whanne  dame  Prudence,  ful  debonairly  and 
with  greet  pacience,  hadde  herd  al  that  hir 
housbonde  liked  for  to  seye,  thanne  axed  she 
of  hym  licence  for  to  speke,  and  seyde  in  this 
wise  :  “  My  lord,”  quod  she,  “  as  to  youre  firste 
resoun,  certes  it  may  lightly  been  answered  ; 
for  I  seye  that  it  is  no  folie  to  chaunge  conseil 
whan  the  thyng  is  chaunged,  or  elles  whan  the 
thyng  semeth  ootherweyes  than  it  was  biforn  ; 
and  mooreover,  I  seye  that  though  ye  han 
sworn  and  bihight  to  perfourne  youre  emprise,2 
and  nathelees  ye  weyve  to  perfourne  thilke 
same  emprise  by  juste  cause,  men  sholde  nat 
seyn  therfore  that  ye  were  a  her  ne  forsworn, 
for  the  book  seith  that  the  wise  man  maketh 
no  lesyng  whan  he  turneth  his  corage  to  the 
[6680]  bettre,  and  al  be  it  so  that  youre  emprise 

1  This  passage  is  not  in  Elles.  MS.,  but  as  it  is  necessary  for  the 
argument,  it  is  supplied  from  the  Cambridge  MS.,  which  follows  the 
Livre  de  Melibee,  and  the  Latin.  2  Enterprise. 


THE  WORDS  OF  DAME  PRUDENCE.  26 1 

be  establissed  and  ordeyned  by  greet  multitude 
of  folk,  yet  thar  ye  nat  accomplice  thilke  or- 
dinaunce  but  yow  like ;  for  the  trouthe  of 
thynges  and  the  profit  been  rather  founden  in 
fewe  folk  that  been  wise  and  ful  of  resoun, 
than  by  greet  multitude  of  folk  ther  every  man 
crieth  and  clatereth  what  that  hym  liketh ; 
soothly,  swich  multitude  is  nat  honeste. 

“  As  to  the  seconde  resoun,  where-as  ye  seyn 
that  alle  wommen  been  wikke  ;  save  youre 
grace,  certes  ye  despisen  alle  wommen  in  this 
wyse  [and  ‘  he  that  al  despiseth  al  displeseth,’ 
as  seith  the  book  *]  ;  and  Senec  seith,  that  who 
so  wole  have  sapience  shal  no  man  despise, 
but  he  shal  gladly  techen  the  science  that  he 
kan  with-outen  presumpcioun  or  pride,  and 
swiche  thynges  as  he  nought  ne  kan  he  shal 
nat  been  ashamed  to  lerne  hem  and  enquere  of 
lasse  folk  than  hym  self ;  and,  sire,  that  ther 
hath  been  many  a  good  womman  may  lightly 
be  preved,  for  certes,  sire,  oure  Lord  Jhesu 
Crist  wolde  nevere  have  descended  to  be  born 
of  a  womman,  if  alle  wommen  hadden  ben 
wikke  ;  and  after  that,  for  the  grete  bountee 
that  is  in  wommen,  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist, 
whan  he  was  risen  fro  deeth  to  lyve,  appeered 
rather  to  a  womman  than  to  hise  Apostles ; 
and  though  that  Salomon  seith  that  he  ne  foond 
nevere  womman  good,  it  folweth  nat  therfore 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  ;  supplied  from  the  Hengwrt  MS. 


262  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

that  alle  womman  ben  wikke,  for  though  that 
he  ne  foond  no  good  womman,  certes,  ful  many 
another  man  hath  founden  many  a  womman  ful 
[6690]  good  and  trewe  ;  or  elles,  per  aventure, 
the  entente  of  Salomon  was  this,  that,  as  in  sov- 
ereyn  bounte,1  he  foond  no  womman  ;  that  is  to 
seyn  that  ther  is  no  wight  that  hath  sovereyn 
bountee,  save  God  allone,2  —  as  he  hym  self 
recordeth  in  hys  evaungelie,  —  for  ther  nys  no 
creature  so  good  that  hym  ne  wanteth  somwhat 
of  the  perfeccioun  of  God,  that  is  his  maker. 

“  Youre  thridde  resoun  is  this,  —  ye  seyn  if  ye 
governe  yow  by  my  conseil  it  sholde  seme  that 
ye  hadde  geve  me  the  maistrie  and  the  lord- 
shipe  over  youre  persone.  Sire,  save  youre 
grace,  it  is  nat  so,  for  if  it  were  so  that  no  man 
sholde  be  conseilled  but  oonly  of  hem  that  had- 
den  lordshipe  and  maistrie  of  his  persone,  men 
wolden  nat  be  conseilled  so  ofte,  for  soothly 
thilke  man  that  asketh  conseil  of  a  purpos,  yet 
hath  he  free  choys  wheither  he  wole  werke  by 
that  conseil  or  noon. 

“  And  as  to  youre  fourthe  resoun  ;  ther  ye 
seyn  that  the  janglerie  of  wommen  hath  hyd 
thynges  that  they  wiste  noght,  as  who  seith  that 
a  womman  kan  nat  hyde  that  she  woot,  sire, 
thise  wordes  been  understonde  of  wommen 
that  been  jangleresses  and  wikked,  of  whiche 
wommen  men  seyn  that  thre  thynges  dryven  a 

1  Perfect  goodness.  2  Cf.  1.  14,626. 


MANY  A  WOMMAN  FUL  GOOD.  263 

man  out  of  his  hous,  —  that  is  to  seyn,  smoke, 
droppyng  of  reyn,  and  wikked  wyves ;  and 
swiche  wommen  seith  Salomon,  that  it  were 
bettre  dwelle  in  desert  than  with  a  womman 
[6700]  that  is  riotous,  and,  sire,  by  youre  leve, 
that  am  nat  I  ;  for  ye  haan  ful  ofte  assayed 
my  grete  silence  and  my  gret  pacience,  and 
eek  how  wel  that  I  kan  hyde  and  hele 1  thynges 
that  men  oghte  secreely  to  hyde. 

“  And  soothly,  as  to  youre  fifthe  resoun, 
where  as  ye  seyn  that  in  wikked  conseil  wom¬ 
men  venquisshe  men,  God  woot  thilke  resoun 
stant  heere  in  no  stede;2  for,  understoond  now, 
ye  asken  conseil  to  do  wikkednesse,  and  if  ye 
wole  werken  wikkednesse,  and  youre  wif  re- 
streyneth  thilke  wikked  purpos  and  overcometh 
yow  by  resoun  and  by  good  conseil,  certes 
youre  wyf  oghte  rather  to  be  preised  than 
yblamed.  Thus  sholde  ye  understonde  the 
philosophre  that  seith,  *  In  wikked  conseil  wom¬ 
men  venquisshen  hir  housbondes.’ 

“  And  ther  as  ye  blamen  alle  wommen  and 
hir  resouns,  I  shal  shewe  yow  by  manye  en- 
samples,  that  many  a  womman  hath  ben  ful 
good,  and  yet  been,  and  hir  conseils  ful  hool- 
some  and  profitable.  Eek  som  men  han  seyd 
that  the  conseillynge  of  wommen  is  outher  to 
deere,  or  elles  to  litel  of  pris ; 3  but,  al  be  it  so 
that  ful  many  a  womman  is  badde  and  hir  con- 


1  Conceal.  2  Is  of  no  weight.  3  Worth. 


264  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

seil  vile  and  noght  worth,  yet  han  men  founde 
ful  many  a  good  womman  1  and  ful  discrete  and 
wise  in  conseillynge. 

[6710]  “Loo,  Jacob,  by  good  conseil  of  his 
mooder  Rebekka,  wan  the  benysoun  of  Yssak 
his  fader,  and  the  lordshipe  over  alle  hise  breth- 
eren  :  Judith,  by  hire  good  conseil,  delivered 
the  citee  of  Bethulie,  in  which  she  dwelled,  out 
of  the  handes  of  Olofernus,  that  hadde  it  bi- 
seged  and  wolde  have  al-destroyed  it :  Abygail 
delivered  Nabal  hir  housbonde  fro  David  the 
kyng  that  wolde  have  slayn  hym,  and  apaysed 
the  ire  of  the  kyng  by  hir  wit  and  by  hir  good 
conseillyng :  Hester  enhaunced  greetly  by  hir 
good  conseil  the  peple  of  God  in  the  regne  of 
Assuerus  the  kyng  :  and  the  same  bountee  2  in 
good  conseillyng  of  many  a  good  womman  may 
men  telle,  and  moore  over,  whan  oure  Lord 
hadde  creat  Adam  oure  forme3  fader,  he  seyde 
in  this  wise  :  ‘It  is  nat  good  to  been  a  man 
alloone,  make  we  to  hym  an  helpe  semblable 
to  hym  self.’ 

“  Heere  may  ye  se  that  if  that  wommen  were 
nat  goode  and  hir  conseils  goode  and  profit¬ 
able,  oure  Lord  God  of  hevene  wolde  nevere 
han  wroght  hem,  ne  called  hem  ‘help  ’  of  man, 
but  rather  confusioun  of  man.  And  ther  seyde 
oones  a  clerk  in  two  vers,  ‘What  is  bettre  than 
Gold?  Jaspre.  What  is  bettre  than  Jaspre  ? 

1  Cf.  1.  14,616.  2  Goodness  (Fr.  bonte).  3  First. 


WHAT  IS  BETTER  THAN  WOMAN  ?  265 

[6720]  YVisedoom.  And  what  is  better  than 
Wisedoom  ?  Womman.  And  what  is  bettre 
than  a  good  Womman  ?  No  thyng.’  And,  sire, 
by  manye  of  othre  resouns  may  ye  seen  that 
manye  wommen  been  goode,  and  hir  conseils 
goode  and  profitable,  and  therfore,  sire,  if  ye 
wol  triste  to  my  conseil,  I  shal  restoore  yow 
youre  doghter  bool  and  sound,  and  eek  I  wol 
do  to. yow  so  muche  that  ye  shul  have  honour 
in  this  cause.” 

Whan  Melibee  hadde  herd  the  wordes  of  his 
wyf  Prudence,  he  seyde  thus  :  “  I  see  wel  that 
the  word  of  Salomon  is  sooth.  He  seith  that 
wordes  that  been  spoken  discreetly,  by  ordi- 
naunce,  been  honycombes,  for  they  geven  swet- 
nesse  to  the  soule  and  hoolsomnesse  to  the 
body  ;  and,  wyf,  by-cause  of  thy  sweete  wordes, 
and  eek  for  I  have  assayed  and  preved  thy 
grete  sapience  and  thy  grete  trouthe,  I  wol 
governe  me  by  thy  conseil  in  alle  thyng.” 

“Now,  sire,”  quod  dame  Prudence,  “and  syn 
ye  vouche  sauf  to  been  governed  by  my  con¬ 
seil,  I  wol  enforme  yow  how  ye  shul  governe 
youre  self  in  chesynge  of  youre  conseillours. 
Ye  shul  first  in  alle  youre  werkes  mekely  bi- 
seken  to  the  heighe  God  that  he  wol  be  youre 
conseillour,  and  shapeth  yow  to  swich  entente 
that  he  geve  yow  conseil  and  confort,  as  taughte 
[6730]  Thobie  his  sone  :  ‘At  alle  tymes  thou 
shalt  blesse  God  and  praye  hym  to  dresse  thy 


266  CHAUCERS  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

weyes,  and  looke  that  alle  thy  conseils  been  in 
hym  for  everemoore.’  Seint  Jame  eek  seith, 
*  If  any  of  yow  have  necle  of  sapience,  axe  it 
of  God.’  And  afterward,  thanne  shul  ye  taken 
conseil  of  youre  self  and  examyne  wel  youre 
thoghtes  of  swich  thyng  as  yow  thynketh  that 
is  best  for  youre  profit,  and  thanne  shul  ye 
dryve  fro  youre  herte  thre  thynges  that  been 
contrariouse  to  good  conseil,  —  that  is  to  seyn, 
ire,  coveitise,  and  hastifnesse. 

“  First,  he  that  axeth  conseil  of  hym-self, 
certes  he  moste  been  with-outen  ire,  for  manye 
.  causes.  The  firste  is  this :  he  that  hath  greet  ire 
and  wratthe  in  hym  self,  he  weneth  alwey  that 
he  may  do  thyng  that  he  may  nat  do.  And  sec- 
oundely,  he  that  is  irous  and  wrooth,  he  ne  may 
nat  wel  deme,1  and  he  that  may  nat  wel  deme, 
may  nat  wel  conseille.  The  thridde  is  this,  that 
he  that  is  irous  and  wrooth,  as  seith  Senec,  ne 
[6740]  may  nat  speke  but  he  blame  thynges, 
and  with  hise  viciouse  wordes  he  stireth  oother 
folk  to  angre  and  to  ire.  And  eek,  sire,  ye 
moste  dryve  coveitise 2  out  of  youre  herte,  for 
the  Apostle  seith  that  coveitise  is  roote  of  alle 
harmes  ;  and  trust  wel  that  a  coveitous  man  ne 
kan  noght  deme,  ne  thynke,  but  oonly  to  ful- 
fille  the  ende  of  his  coveitise,  and  certes,  that 
ne  may  nevere  been  accompliced,  for  evere  the 
moore  habundaunce  that  he  hath  of  richesse 


1  Judge.  2  Covetousness. 


SOON  DEEM,  SOON  REPENT.  267 

the  moore  he  desireth.  And,  sire,  ye  moste 
also  dryve  out  of  youre  herte  hastifnesse,  for 
certes,  ye  ne  may  nat  deeme  for  the  beste  a 
sodeyn  thought  that  falleth  in  youre  herte,  but 
ye  moste  avyse  yow  on  it  ful  ofte,  for  as  ye 
herde  biforn,  the  commune  proverbe  is  this, 
that  ‘he  that  soone  deemeth,  soone  repenteth.’ 
Sire,  ye  ne  be  nat  alwey  in  lyke  disposicioun, 
for  certes  som  thyng  that  somtyme  semeth  to 
yow  that  it  is  good  for  to  do,  another  tyme  it 
semeth  to  yow  the  contrarie. 

[675°]  “Whan  ye  han  taken  conseil  of  youre 
self  and  han  deemed  by  good  deliberacion  swich 
thyng  as  you  list  best,  thanne  rede1  I  yow  that 
ye  kepe  it  secree.  Biwrey  nat  youre  conseil  to 
no  persone,  but  if  so  be  that  ye  wenen  sikerly  2 
that  thurgh  youre  biwreyyng  youre  condicioun 
shal  be  to  yow  the  moore  profitable  ;  for  Jhesus 
Syrak  seith,  ‘  Neither  to  thy  foo,  ne  to  thy  frend, 
cliscovere  nat  thy  secree,  ne  thy  folie,  for  they 
wol  geve  yow  audience  and  lookynge  to  sup- 
portacioun  in  thy  presence,  and  scorne  thee  in 
thyn  absence.’  Another  clerk  seith,  that  scarsly 
shaltou  fynden  any  persone  that  may  kepe  con¬ 
seil  sikerly. 

“  The  book  seith,  ‘  Whil  that  thou  kepest  thy 
conseil  in  thyn  herte,  thou  kepest  it  in  thy 
prisoun,  and  whan  thou  biwreyest  thy  conseil 
to  any  wight  he  holdeth  thee  in  his  snare ;  ’ 


1  Advise.  2  Believe  surely. 


268  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

and  therfore  yow  is  bettre  to  hyde  youre  con- 
seil  in  youre  herte  than  praye  hem  to  whom  ye 
han  biwreyed  youre  conseil  that  he  wole  kepen 
it  cloos  and  stille  ;  for  Seneca  seith,  ‘  If  so  be 
that  thou  ne  mayst  nat  thyn  owene  conseil 
hyde,  how  darstou  prayen  any  oother  wight  thy 
conseil  sikerly 1  to  kepe  ?  ’ 

[6760]  “But  nathelees,  if  thou  wene  sikerly 
that  the  biwreiyng  of  thy  conseil  to  a  persone 
wol  make  thy  condicioun  to  stonden  in  the  bet¬ 
tre  plyt,  thanne  shaltou  tellen  hym  thy  conseil 
in  this  wise :  first,  thou  shalt  make  no  sem- 
blant  wheither  thee  were  levere  pees  or  werre, 
or  this  or  that,  ne  shewe  hym  nat  thy  wille  and 
thyn  entente,  —  for  trust  wel,  that  comenli  thise 
conseillours  been  flatereres,  namely  the  con- 
seillours  of  grete  lordes,  for  they  enforcen 2 
hem  alwey  rather  to  speken  plesante  wordes, 
enclynynge  to  the  lordes  lust,  than  wordes  that 
been  trewe  or  profitable ;  and  therfore  men 
seyn,  that  the  riche  man  hath  seeld  3  good  con¬ 
seil,  but  if  he  have  it  of  hym  self. 

“  And  after  that  thou  shalt  considere  thy 
freendes  and  thyne  enemys  ;  and  as  touchynge 
thy  freendes  thou  shalt  considere  wiche  of  hem 
that  been  moost  feithful  and  moost  wise,  and 
eldest,  and  most  approved  in  conseillyng,  and 
of  hem  shalt  thou  aske  thy  conseil  as  the  caas 
requireth. 


1  Surely.  3  Force.  3  Seldom. 


OF  CHOOSING  COUNSELLORS.  269 

“  I  seye  that  first  ye  shul  clepe  to  youre  con- 
[6770]  seil  youre  freendes  that  been  trewe,  for 
Salomon  seith  that  ‘  Right  as  the  herte  of  a 
man  deliteth  in  savour  that  is  soote,  right  so 
the  conseil  of  trewe  freendes  geveth  swetenesse 
to  the  soule  he  seith  also,  £Ther  may  no  thyng 
be  likned  to  the  trewe  freend,  for  certes  gold 
ne  silver  beth  nat  so  muche  worth  as  the  goode 
wyl  of  a  trewe  freend  ;  ’  and  eek,  he  seith  that 
‘  A  trewe  freend  is  a  strong  deffense ;  who  so 
that  hym  fyndeth,  certes,  he  fyndeth  a  greet 
tresour.’ 

“Thanne  shul  ye  eek  considere  if  that  )roure 
trewe  freendes  been  discrete  and  wise,  for  the 
book  seith,  ‘  Axe  alwey  thy  conseil  of  hem  that 
been  wise  •  ’  and  by  this  same  resoun  shul  ye 
clepen  to  youre  conseil  of  youre  freendes  that 
been  of  age,  swiche  as  han  seyn  and  been  ex¬ 
pert  in  manye  thynges,  and  been  approved  in 
conseillynges ;  for  the  book  seith  that  in  the  olde 
men  is  the  sapience,  and  in  longe  tyme  the 
prudence;  and  Tullius  seith,  that  grete  thynges 
ne  been  nat  ay  accompliced  by  strengthe,  ne 
by  delivernesse 1  of  body,  but  by  good  conseil, 
by  auctoritee 2  of  persones,  and  by  science  ; 3 
the  whiche  thre  thynges  ne  been  nat  fieble  by 
age,  but  certes,  they  enforcen  and  encreescen 
day  by  day.  And  thanne  shul  ye  kepe  this  for 
a  general  reule;  first,  shul  ye  clepen  to  youre 

1  Agility.  2  Authority.  8  Knowledge. 


2J0  CHAUCERS  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

conseil  a  fewe  of  youre  freendes  that  been  es- 
peciale ;  for  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Manye  freendes 
have  thou,  but  among  a  thousand,  chese  1  thee 
oon  to  be  thy  conseillour,  for,  al  be  it  so  that 
[6780]  thou  first  ne  telle  thy  conseil  but  to  a 
fewe,  thou  mayst  afterward  telle  it  to  mo  folk  if 
it  be  nede.’  But  looke  alwey  that  thy  conseil- 
lours  have  thilke  thre  condiciouns  that  I  have 
seyd  bifore,  that  is  to  seyn,  that  they  be  trewe, 
wise,  and  of  oold  experience.  And  werke  nat 
alwey  in  every  nede  by  oon  counseillour  allone, 
for  somtyme  bihooveth  it  to  been  conseillea 
by  manye,  for  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Salvacioun  of 
thynges  is  where  as  ther  been  manye  conseil- 
lours.’ 

“  Now,  sith  I  have  toold  yow  of  which  folk  ye 
sholde  been  counseilled,  now  wol  I  teche  yow 
which  conseil  ye  oghte  to  eschewe.  First,  ye 
shul  eschue  the  conseillyng  of  fooles,  for  Sal¬ 
omon  seith,  ‘Taak  no  conseil  of  a  fool,  for  he 
ne  kan  noght  conseille  but  after  his  owene  lust 
and  his  affeccioun.’  The  book  seith  that  the 
propretee 2  of  a  fool  is  this,  ‘  He  troweth  lightly 
harm  of  every  wight,  and  lightly  troweth  alle 
bountee  3  in  hym  self.’  Thou  shalt  eek  eschue 
the  conseillyng  of  flatereres,  swiche  as  enforcen 
hem  rather  to  preise  youre  persone  by  flaterye, 
than  for  to  telle  yow  the  sooth-fastnesse  of 
thynges. 


1  Choose.  2  Peculiar  trait.  3  Goodness. 


OF  BAD  COUNSELLORS. 


271 


44  Wherfore  Tullius  seith,  4  Amonges  alle  the 
pestilences  that  been  in  freendshipe  the  gret- 
teste  is  flaterie ;  ’  and  therfore  is  it  moore  nede 
that  thou  eschue  and  drede  flatereres  than  any 
oother  peple.  The  book  seith,  ‘  Thou  shalt 
rather  drede  and  flee  fro  the  sweete  wordes 
of  flaterynge  preiseres  than  fro  the  egre 1  wordes 
[6790]  of  thy  freend  that  seith  thee  thy  sothes.’ 
Salomon  seith  that  ‘  The  wordes  of  a  flaterere 
is  a  snare  to  chacche  with  innocentz.’ 2  He 
seith  also  that  ‘  He  that  speketh  to  his  freend 
wordes  of  swetnesse  and  of  plesaunce,  setteth 
a  net  biforn  his  feet  to  cacche  hym  ;  ’  and  ther¬ 
fore,  seith  Tullius,  4  Enclyne  nat  thyne  eres  to 
flatereres,  ne  taaketh  no  conseil  of  the  wordes 
of  flaterye ;  ’  and  Caton  seith,  ‘  Avyse  thee  wel, 
and  eschue  the  wordes  of  swetnesse  and  of 
plesaunce.’ 

“And  eek  thou  shalt  eschue  the  conseillyng' 
of  thyne  olde  enemys  that  been  reconsiled. 
The  book  seith  that  no  wight  retourneth  saufly 
in-to  the  grace  of  his  olde  enemy  ;  and  Isope  3 
seith,  4  Ne  trust  nat  to  hem  to  whiche  thou  hast 
had  som  tyme  werre  or  enemytee,  ne  telle  hem 
nat  thy  conseil;’  and  Seneca  telleth  the  cause 
why  :  4  It  may  nat  be,’  seith  he,  4  that  where 
greet  fyr  hath  longe  tyme  endured,  that  ther 
ne  dwelleth  som  vapour  of  warmnesse  ;  ’  and 
therfore  seith  Salomon,  4  In  thyn  olde  foo  trust 

1  Eager.  2  Catch  innocents  with.  3  /Esop. 


272  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

nevere  ;  ’  for  sikerly  though  thyn  enemy  be  rec- 
onsiled  and  maketh  thee  chiere  of  humylitee, 
and  lowteth  1  to  thee  with  his  heed,  ne  trust 
[6800]  hym  nevere ;  for  certes,  he  maketh  thilke 
feyned  humilitee  moore  for  his  profit  than  for 
any  love  of  thy  persone,  by-cause  that  he 
deemeth  to  have  victorie  over  thy  persone  by 
swich  feyned  contenance,  the  which  victorie  he 
myghte  nat  Wynne  by  strif  or  werre.  And 
Peter  Alfonce  seith,  ‘  Make  no  felawshipe  with 
thyne  olde  enemys,  for  if  thou  do  hem  bountee 
they  wol  perverten  it  in  to  wikkednesse,’ 

“  And  eek  thou  most  eschue  the  conseillyng 
of  hem  that  been  thy  servantz  and  beren  thee 
greet  reverence,  for  peraventure  they  doon  it 
moore  for  drede  than  for  love.  And  therfore 
seith  a  philosophre  in  this  wise:  ‘  Ther  is  no 
wight  parfitly  trewe  to  hym  that  he  to  soore 
dredeth ; 5  and  Tullius  seith,  .‘Ther  nys  no 
myght  so  greet  of  any  emperour  that  longe 
may  endure,  but  if  he  have  moore  love  of  the 
peple  than  for-drede.’ 2 

“  Thou  shalt  also  eschue  the  conseiling  of  folk 
that  been  dronkelewe,3  for  they  kan  no  conseil 
hyde,  for  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Ther  is  no  privetee 
ther  as  regneth  dronkenesse.’  Ye  shul  also 
han  in  suspect  the  conseillyng  of  swich  folk  as 
conseille  yow  a  thyng  prively  and  conseille 
yow  the  contrarie  openly ;  for  Cassidorie  seith 


1  Bovveth.  2  Great  dread.  3  Drunken. 


OF  BAD  COUNSELLORS.  273 

that  ‘It  is  a  manere  sleighte  1  to  hyndre,  whan 
he  sheweth  to  doon  a  thyng  openly  and  werketh 
prively  the  contrarie.’ 

“  Thou  shalt  also  have  in  suspect  the  con- 
seillyng  of  wikked  folk,  for  the  book  seith, 
‘  The  conseillyng  of  wikked  folk  is  alwey  ful 
[6810]  of  fraude ;  ’  and  David  seith,  ‘  Blisful  is 
that  man  that  hath  nat  folwed  the  conseilyng 
of  shrewes.’ 2  Thou  shalt  also  eschue  the  con¬ 
seillyng  of  yong  folk,  for  hir  conseil  is  nat  rype. 

“  Now,  sire,  sith  I  have  shewed  yow  of  which 
folk  ye  shul  take  youre  conseil,  and  of  which 
folk  ye  shul  folwe  the  conseil,  now  wol  I  teche 
yow  how  ye  shal  examyne  youre  conseil,  after 
the  doctrine  of  Tullius. 

“  In  the  examynynge  thanne  of  youre  conseil- 
lour  ye  shul  considere  manye  thynges.  Alder- 
first  8  thou  shalt  considere,  that  in  thilke  thyng 
that  thou  purposest  and  upon  what  thyng  thou 
wolt  have  conseil,  that  verray  trouthe  be  seyd 
and  conserved  ;  this  is  to  seyn,  telle  trewely 
thy  tale,  for  he  that  seith  fals  may  nat  wel  be 
conseilled  in  that  cas  of  which  he  lieth. 

“  And  after  this  thou  shalt  considere  the 
thynges  that  acorden  4  to  that  thou  purposest 
for  to  do  by  thy  conseillours  if  resoun  accorde 
therto,  and  eek  if  thy  myght  may  atteine 
therto  ;  and  if  the  moore  part  and  the  bettre 
part  of  thy  conseillours  acorde  ther-to  or  noon. 

1  Sort  of  cunning.  2  Wicked  men,  shrews.  3  First  of  all.  4  Agree. 

VOL.  I.  18 


274  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

Thanne  shaltou  considere  what  thyng  shal 
fohve  after  hir  conseillyng,  as  hate,  pees,  werre, 
grace,  profit,  or  damage,  and  manye  othere 
[6820]  thynges.  Thanne,  of  alle  thise  thynges, 
thou  shalt  chese  the  beste,  and  weyve 1  alle 
othere  thynges.  Thanne  shaltow  considere  of 
what  roote  is  engendred  the  matiere  of  thy 
conseil,  and  what  fruyt  it  may  conserve  and 
engendre.  Thou  shalt  eek  considere  alle  thise 
causes  fro  whennes  they  been  sprongen. 

“And  whan  ye  han  examyned  youre  conseil 
as  I  have  seyd,  and  which  partie  is  the  bettre 
and  moore  profitable,  and  hast  approved  it  by 
manye  wise  folk,  and  olde,  thanne  shaltou  con¬ 
sidere  if  thou  mayst  parfourne  it  and  maken  of 
it  a  good  ende  ;  for  certes,  resoun  wol  nat  that 
any  man  sholde  bigynne  a  thyng,  but  if  he 
myghte  parfourne  it  as  hym  oghte,  ne  no  wight 
sholde  take  up  on  hym  so  hevy  a  charge  that 
he  myghte  nat  bere  it ;  for  the  proverbe  seith, 
‘  He  that  to  muche  embraceth,  distreyneth 2 
litel;’  and  Catoun  seith,  ‘Assay  to  do  swich 
thyng  as  thou  hast  power  to  doon,  lest  that  the 
charge  oppresse  thee  so  soore  that  thee  bihov- 
eth  to  weyve  thyng  that  thou  hast  bigonne.’ 
And,  if  so  be  that  thou  be  in  doute  wheither 
thou  mayst  parfourne  a  thing  or  noon,  chese 
[6830]  rather  to  suffre  than  bigynne.  And 
Piers  Alphonce  seith,  ‘  If  thou  hast  myght  to 


1  Forsake.  2  Keepeth. 


ACT  NOT  IN  DOUBT. 


275 


doon  a  thyng  of  which  thou  most  repente  thee, 
it  is  bettre  “  nay  ”  than  “  ye  •  ”  ’ 1  this  is  to  seyn, 
that  thee  is  bettre  holde  thy  tonge  stille  than 
for  to  speke. 

“  Thanne  may  ye  understonde  by  strenger 
resons  that  if  thou  hast  power  to  parfourne  a 
werk  of  which  thou  shalt  repente,  thanne  is  it 
bettre  that  thou  suffre  than  bigynne.  Wei  seyn 
they  that  defenden  2  every  wight  to  assaye  any 
thyng  of  which  he  is  in  doute  wheither  he  may 
parfourne  it  or  noon.  And  after,  whan  ye  han 
examyned  youre  conseil,  as  I  have  seyd  biforn, 
and  knowen  wel  that  ye  may  parfourne  youre 
emprise,  conferme  it  thanne  sadly  3  til  it  be  at 
an  ende. 

“  Now  is  it  resoun  and  tyme  that  I  shewe  yow 
whanne  and  wherfore  that  ye  may  chaunge 
youre  conseillours  with-outen  youre  repreve.4 
Soothly  a  man  may  chaungen  his  purpos  and 
his  conseil  if  the  cause  cesseth,  or  whan  a  newe 
caas  bitydeth ; 6  for  the  lawe  seith  that  upon 
thynges  that  newely  bityden  bihoveth  newe 
conseil  ;  and  Senec  seith,  ‘  If  thy  conseil  is 
comen  to  the  eeris  of  thyn  enemy,  chaunge  thy 
conseil.’  Thou  mayst  also  chaunge  thy  conseil 
if  so  be  that  thou  mayst  fynde  that  by  errour, 
or  by  oother  cause,  harm  or  damage  may  bi- 
[6840]  tyde.  Also  if  thy  conseil  be  dishonest, 
or  ellis  cometh  of  dishoneste  cause,  chaunge  thy 

1  Nay  than  yea.  2  Forbid.  3  Surely.  4  Censure.  c  Comes  to  pass. 


276  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

conseil,  for  the  lawes  seyn  that  alle  bihestes 
that  been  dishoneste  been  of  no  value,  and  eek 
if  so  be  that  it  be  inpossible  or  may  nat  goodly 
be  parfourned  or  kept. 

“  And  take  this  for  a  general  reule,  that  every 
conseil  that  is  affermed  so  strongly  that  it  may 
nat  be  chaunged  for  no  condicioun  that  may 
bityde,  I  seye  that  thilke  conseil  is  wikked.” 

This  Melibeus,  whanne  he  hadde  herd  the 
doctrine  of  his  vvyf,  dame  Prudence,  answerde 
in  this  wyse:  “Dame,”  quod  he,  “  as  yet  in  to 
this  tyme  ye  han  wel  and  covenablely  1  taught 
me  as  in  general  how  I  shal  governe  me  in  the 
chesynge  and  in  the  withholdynge  of  my  con- 
seillours,  but  now  wolde  I  fayn  that  ye  wolde 
condescende  in  especial,  and  telle  me  how 
liketh  yow,  or  what  semeth  yow  by  oure  con- 
seillours  that  we  han  chosen  in  oure  present 
nede.” 

“  My  lord,”  quod  she,  “  I  biseke  yow  in  al 
humblesse  that  ye  wol  nat  wilfully  replie  agayn 
my  resouns,  ne  distempre  youre  herte,  thogh  I 
speke  thyng  that  yow  displese,  for  God  woot 
that  as  in  myn  entente  I  speke  it  for  youre 
[6850]  beste,  for  youre  honour,  and  for  youre 
profite  eke ;  and  soothly  I  hope  that  youre  be- 
nyngnytee  wol  taken  it  in  pacience.  Trusteth 
me  wel,”  quod  she,  “that  youre  conseil  as  in 
this  caas  ne  sholde  nat,  as  to  speke  properly, 


1  Suitably. 


WHEREIN  MELIBEUS  ERRED.  2’]'] 

be  called  a  conseillyng,  but  a  mocioun  or  a 
moevyng  of  folye,  in  which  conseil  ye  han 
erred  in  many  a  sondry  wise. 

“  First  and  forward  ye  han  erred  in  thassem- 
blynge  of  youre  conseillours  ;  for  ye  sholde 
first  have  cleped  a  fewe  folk  to  youre  conseil, 
and  after  ye  myghte  han  shewed  it  to  mo  folk, 
if  it  hadde  been  nede  ;  but  certes,  ye  han  sod- 
eynly  cleped  to  youre  conseil  a  greet  multi¬ 
tude  of  peple  ful  chargeant 1  and  ful  anoyous 
for  to  heere.  Also,  ye  han  erred,  for  there  as 
ye  sholden  oonly  have  cleped  to  youre  conseil 
youre  trewe  frendes  olde  and  wise,  ye  han 
ycleped  straunge  folk,  and  yong  folk,  false 
flatereres  and  enemys  reconsiled,  and  folk  that 
doon  yow  reverence  withouten  love.  And  eek 
also  ye  have  erred  for  ye  han  broght  with  yow 
to  youre  conseil  ire,  coveitise,  and  hastifnesse  ; 
the  whiche  thre  thinges  been  contrariouse  to 
[6860]  every  conseil  honeste  and  profitable,2 
the  whiche  thre  ye  han  nat  anientissed  3  or  de¬ 
stroyed  hem,  neither  in  youre  self  ne  in  youre 
conseillours,  as  yow  oghte.  Ye  han  erred  also, 
for  ye  han  shewed  to  youre  conseillours  youre 
talent 4  and  youre  affeccioun  5  to  make  werre 
anon,  and  for  to  do  vengeance.  They  han  es¬ 
pied  by  youre  wordes  to  what  thyng  ye  been 
enclyned,  and  therfore  han  they  rather  con- 

1  Burdensome.  2  A  French  construction,  giving  evidence  that 
Chaucer  had  the  French  version  before  him.  3  Annihilated  (Fr. 
atUantissi).  4  Desire.  5  Inclination. 


278  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

seilled  yow  to  youre  talent  than  to  youre 
profit. 

“Ye  han  erred  also,  for  it  semeth  that  it  suf- 
fiseth  to  han  been  conseilled  by  thise  conseil- 
lours  oonly,  and  with  litel  avys,1  where-as  in  so 
greet  and  so  heigh  a  nede  it  hadde  been  nec- 
essarie  mo  conseillours  and  moore  delibera- 
cioun  to  parfourne  youre  emprise.2 

“Ye  han  erred  also,  for  ye  han  nat  examyned 
youre  conseil  in  the  forseyde  rnanere,  ne  in  due 
manere  as  the  caas  requireth.  Ye  han  erred 
also,  for  ye  han  nat  maked  no  divisioun  bi- 
twixe  youre  conseillours,  this  is  to  seyn,  bi- 
twixen  youre  trewe  freendes  and  youre  feyned 
conseillours ;  ne  ye  han  nat  knowe  the  wil  of 
youre  trewe  freendes,  olde  and  wise,  but  ye  han 
cast  alle  hire  wordes  in  an  hochepot ,3  and  en- 
clyned  youre  herte  to  the  moore  partie  and  to 
the  gretter  nombre,  and  there  been  ye  conde- 
[6870]  scended.4  And,  sith  ye  woot  wel  that 
men  shal  alwey  fynde  a  gretter  nombre  of  fooles 
than  of  wise  men,  and  therfore  the  conseils 
that  been  at  congregaciouns  and  multitudes  of 
folk,  there  as  men  take  moore  reward  5  to  the 
nombre  than  to  the  sapience  of  persones,  ye  se 
wel  that  in  swiche  conseillynges  fooles  han  the 
maistrie.” 

Melibeus  answerde  agayn,  and  seyde,  “  I 

1  Advice.  2  Enterprise.  3  Hodge-podge.  The  word  is  French. 
4  Submitted.  6  Regard. 


“  TO  DO  SYNNE  IS  MANNYSSH.”  279 

graunte  wel  that  I  have  erred,  but  there  as  thou 
hast  toolcl  me  heerbiforn  that  he  nys  nat  to 
blame  that  chaungeth  hise  conseillours  in  cer- 
tein  caas,  and  for  certeine  juste  causes,  I  am 
al  redy  to  chaunge  my  conseillours  right  as 
thovv  wolt  devyse.  The  proverbe  seith,  that 
for  to  do  synne  is  mannyssh,  but  certes,  for  to 
persevere  longe  in  synne  is  werk  of  the  devel.” 

To  this  sentence  answereth  anon  dame  Pru¬ 
dence  and  seyde,  “  Examineth,”  quod  she, 
“  youre  conseil  and  lat  us  see  the  whiche  of  hem 
han  spoken  most  resonablely,  and  taught  yow 
best  conseil ;  and  for  as  muche  as  that  the  ex- 
amynacioun  is  necessarie,  lat  us  bigynne  at  the 
surgiens  and  at  the  phisiciens  that  first  speeken 
[6880]  in  this  matiere.  I  sey  yow  that  the  sur¬ 
giens  and  phisiciens  han  seyd  yow  in  youre  con¬ 
seil  discreetly  as  hem  oughte,  and  in  hir  speche 
seyd  ful  wisely  that  to  the  office  of  hem  aperten- 
eth  to  doon  to  every  wight  honour  and  profit, 
and  no  wight  for  to  anoye,1  and  in  hir  craft  to 
doon  greet  diligence  un-to  the  cure  of  hem 
whiche  that  they  han  in  hir  governaunce.  And, 
sire,  right  as  they  han  answered  wisely  and  dis-* 
creetly,  right  so  rede  2  I  that  they  been  heighly 
and  sovereynly  gerdoned  3  for  hir  noble  speche, 
and  eek,  for  they  sholde  do  the  moore  ententif 
bisynesse  in  the  curacioun  of  youre  doghter 
deere  ;  for,  al  be  it  so  that  they  been  youre 

1  Harm.  2  Counsel.  3  Rewarded. 


280  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

freendes,  therfore  shal  ye  nat  suffren  that  they 
serve  yow  for  noght,  but  ye  oghte  the  rather 
gerdone  hem  and  shewe  hem  youre  largesse. 

“  And  as  touchynge  the  proposicioun  which 
that  the  phisiciens  encreesceden  1  in  this  caas  ; 
this  is  to  seyn,  that  in  maladies  that  oon  con- 
[6890]  trarie  is  warisshed 2  by  another  contra- 
rie ;  I  wolde  fayn  knowe  hou  ye  understonde 
this  text,  and  what  is  youre  sentence.”  3 

“  Certes,”  quod  Melibeus,  “  I  understonde 
it  in  this  wise  :  that  right  as  they  han  doon  me 
a  contrarie,  right  so  sholde  I  doon  hem  anoth¬ 
er  ;  for  right  as  they  han  venged  hem  on  me 
and  doon  me  wrong,  right  so  shal  I  venge  me 
upon  hem,  and  doon  hem  wrong,  and  thanne 
have  I  cured  oon  contrarie  by  another.” 

“Lo,  lo,”  quod  dame  Prudence,  “how  light¬ 
ly4  is  every  man  enclined  to  his  owene  desir 
and  to  his  owene  plesaunce  !  Certes,”  quod 
she,  “  the  wordes  of  the  phisiciens  ne  sholde 
nat  han  been  understonden  in  thys  wise,  for 
certes,  wikkednesse  is  nat  contrarie  to  wikked- 
nesse,  ne  vengeance  to  vengeaunce,  ne  wrong 
to  wrong,  but  they  been  semblable  ;  and  ther¬ 
fore,  o  vengeaunce  is  nat  warisshed  by  another 
vengeaunce,  ne  o  wroong  by  another  -wroong, 
but  everich  of  hem  encreesceth  and  aggreggetn 
oother. 

[6900]  “  But  certes,  the  wordes  of  the  phisi- 

1  Amplified.  2  Cured.  3  Opinion.  4  Easily. 


HIS  COUNSELLORS  REVIEWED.  28 1 

ciens  sholde  been  understonden  in  this  wise  ; 
for  good  and  wikkednesse  been  two  contraries, 
and  pees  and  werre,  vengeaunce  and  suffraunce, 
discord  and  accord,  and  manye  othere  thynges  ; 
but  certes,  wikkednesse  shal  be  warisshed  by 
goodnesse,  discord  by  accord,  werre  by  pees, 
and  so  forth  of  othere  thynges ;  and  heer-to 
accordeth  Seint  Paul  the  Apostle  in  manye 
places. 

“He  seith,  ‘Ne  yeldeth  nat  harm  for  harm, 
ne  wikked  speche  for  wikked  speche  ;  but  do 
wel  to  hym  that  dooth  thee  harm,  and  blesse 
hym  that  seith  to  thee  harm.’  And  in  manye 
othere  places  he  amonesteth 1  pees  and  accord. 

“  But  now  wol  I  speke  to  yow  of  the  conseil 
which  that  was  geven  to  yow  by  the  men  of 
lawe,  and  the  wise  folk,  that  seyden  alle  by 
oon  accord,  as  ye  han  herd  bifore,  that  over 
alle  thynges  ye  sholde  doon  youre  diligence  to 
kepen  youre  persone  and  to  warnestoore 2  youre 
[6910]  hous  ;  and  seyden  also,  that  in  this  caas 
yow  oghten  for  to  werken  ful  avysely  and  with 
greet  deliberacioun.  And,  sire,  as  to  the  firste 
point  that  toucheth  to  the  kepyng  of  youre  per¬ 
sone,  ye  shul  understonde  that  he  that  hath 
werre  shal  everemoore  mekely  and  devoutly 
preyen,  biforn  alle  thynges,  that  Jhesus  Crist 
of  his  grete  mercy  wol  han  hym  in  his  protec- 
cioun  and  been  his  sovereyn  helpyng  at  his 


1  Admonishes.  2  Fortify. 


282  CHAUCER’S  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

nede,  for  certes,  in  this  world  ther  is  no  wight 
that  may  be  conseilled  ne  kept  sufficeantly 
withouten  the  kepyng  of  oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist. 

“  To  this  sentence  1  accordeth  the  prophete 
David,  that  seith,  ‘  If  God  ne  kepe  the  citee, 
in  ydel  waketh  he  that  it  kepeth.’  Now,  sire, 
thannes  hul  ye  committe  the  kepyng  of  youre 
persone  to  youre  trewe  freendes  that  been  ap¬ 
proved  and  knowe,  and  of  hem  shul  ye  axen 
helpe,  youre  persone  for  to  kepe,  for  Catoun 
seith,  ‘  If  thou  hast  nede  of  help,  axe  it  of  thy 
freendes,  for  ther  nys  noon  so  good  a  phisicien 
as  thy  trewe  freend.’ 

[6920]  “And  after  this,  thanne  shul  ye  kepe 
yow  fro  alle  straunge  folk,  and  fro  lyeres,  and 
have  alwey  in  suspect  hire  compaignye,  for  Piers 
Alfonce  seith,  ‘  Ne  taak  no  compaignye  by  the 
weye  of  straunge  men,  but  if  so  be  that  thou 
have  knowe  hym  of  a  lenger  tyme.  And  if  so 
be,  that  he  be  falle  in-to  thy  compaignye,  para- 
venture,  withouten  thyn  assent,  enquere  thanne 
as  subtilly  as  thou  mayst  of  his  conversacioun, 
and  of  his  lyf  bifore,  and  feyne  thy  wey,  —  seye 
that  thou  goost  thider  as  thou  wolt  nat  go,  — 
and  if  he  bereth  a  spere,  hoold  thee  on  the 
right  syde,  and  if  he  bere  a  swerd,'  hoold  thee 
on  his  lift  syde.’  And  after  this  thanne  shul 
ye  kepe  yow  wisely  from  all  swich  manere  peple 
as  I  have  seyd  bifore,  and  hem  and  hir  conseil 
eschewe. 


1  Sentiment. 


THE  WISE  MAN  DREADETH  HARM.  2S3 

“  And  after  this,  thanne  shul  ye  kepe  yow  in 
swich  man  ere  that  for  any  presumpcioun  of 
youre  strengthe,  that  ye  ne  dispise  nat  ne 
acounte  nat  the  myght  of  youre  adversarie  so 
litel  that  ye  lete  1  the  kepyng  of  youre  persone 
for  youre  presumpcioun,  for  every  wys  man 
dredeth  his  enemy,  and  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Wele- 
[693°]  ful 2  is  he  that  of  alle  hath  drede,  for 
certes,  he  that  thurgh  the  hardynesse  of  his 
herte  and  thurgh  the  hardynesse  of  hym  self 
hath  to  greet  presumpcioun,  hym  shal  yvel  bi- 
tyde.’  Thanne  shul  ye  everemoore  countre- 
wayte  3  embusshementz  and  alle  espiaille.4  For 
Senec  seith,  that  the  wise  man  he  dredeth 
harmes  escheweth  harmes,  ne  he  ne  falleth  in-to 
perils  that  perils  escheweth.  And,  al  be  it  so, 
that  it  seme  that  thou  art  in  siker  5  place,  yet 
shaltow  alwey  do  thy  diligence  in  kepynge  of 
thy  persone ;  this  is  to  seyn,  ne  be  nat  necligent 
to  kepe  thy  persone,  nat  oonly  for  thy  gret- 
teste  enemys,  but  for  thy  leeste  enemy.  [Senek 
seith,  ‘  A  man  that  is  wel  avysed,  he  dredeth 
his  leste  enemye.’6]  Ovyde  seith  that  the  litel 
wesele  wol  slee  the  grete  bole  and  the  wilde 
hert.  And  the  book  seith,  ‘  A  litel  thorn  may 
prikke  a  greet  kyng  ful  soore,  and  an  hound 
wol  holde  the  wilde  boor.’ 

“  But  nathelees,  I  sey  nat  thou  shalt  be 

1  Omit,  hinder.  2  Happy.  3  Watch  against.  4  Spying.  3  Se¬ 
cure.  0  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


284  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

coward,  that  thou  doute  1  ther  wher  as  is  no 
[6940]  drede.  The  book  seith  that  somrae  folk 
han  greet  lust  to  deceyve,  but  yet  they  dreden 
hem  to  be  deceyved.  Yet  shaltou  drede  to 
been  empoisoned,  and  kepe  yow  from  the  com- 
paignye  of  scorneres,  for  the  book  seith,  ‘  With 
scorneres  make  no  compaignye,  but  flee  hire 
wordes  as  venym.’ 

“  Now  as  to  the  seconde  point ;  where  as 
youre  wise  conseillours  conseilled  yow  to  warne- 
stoore2  youre  hous  with  gret  diligence,  I  wolde 
fayn  knowe  how  that  ye  understonde  thilke 
wordes,  and  what  is  youre  sentence.” 

Melibeus  answerde  and  seyde,  “  Certes,  I 
understande  it  in  this  wise:  That  I  shal  warne- 
stoore  myn  hous  with  toures,  swiche  as  han 
castelles,  and  othere  manere  edifices,  and  ar- 
mure  and  artelries,3  by  whiche  thynges  I  may 
my  persone  and  myn  hous  so  kepen  and  def- 
fenden,  that  myne  enemys  shul  been  in  drede 
myn  hous  for  to  approche.” 

To  this  sentence  4  answerde  anon  Prudence. 
“  Warnestooryng,”  quod  she,  “of  heighe  toures 
and  of  grete  edifices  [appertains  sometimes  to 
pride.  Towers  and  great  buildings  are  made  6] 
with  grete  costages  and  with  greet  travaille,  and 
whan  that  they  been  accomplicedyet  be  they  nat 
worth  a  stree,6  but  if  they  be  defended  bytrewe 

1  Fear.  2  Fortify.  3  Artillery.  The  word  is  not  in  the  Latin 
original.  4  Opinion.  "  This  passage  is  not  in  Elies.  MS.,  but  is 
supplied  from  the  French.  8  Straw. 


AN  INVINCIBLE  PROTECTION.  285 

freencles  that  been  olde  and  wise.  And  un- 
derstoond  wel  that  the  gretteste  and  strongeste 
garnyson  that  a  riche  man  may  have,  as  wel  to 
[6950]  kepen  his  persone  as  hise  goodes,  is  that 
he  be  biloved  amonges  hys  subgetz  and  with 
hise  neighebores  ;  for  thus  seith  Tullius,  that 
ther  is  a  manere  garnysoun  that  no  man  may 
venquysse  ne  disconfite,  and  that  is  a  lord  to 
be  biloved  of  hise  citezeins  and  of  his  peple. 

“  Now,  sire,  as  to  the  thridde  point,  where 
as  youre  olde  and  wise  conseillours  seyden  that 
yow  ne  oghte  nat  sodeynly  ne  hastily  proceden 
in  this  nede,  but  that  yow  oghte  purveyen  and 
apparaillen  1  yow  in  this  caas  with  greet  dili¬ 
gence  and  greet  deliberacioun,  trewely,  1  trowe 
that  they  seyden  right  wisely  and  right  sooth, 
for  Tullius  seith,  ‘  In  every  nede  er  thou  bi- 
gynne  it,  apparaille  thee  with  greet  diligence.’ 
Thanne  seye  I  that  in  vengeance  takyng,  in 
werre,  in  bataille,  and  in  warnestooryng,  er 
thow  bigynne,  I  rede2  that  thou  apparaille  thee 
ther  to  and  do  it  with  greet  deliberacioun,  for 
Tullius  seith,  ‘  The  longe  apparaillyng  biforn 
[6960]  the  bataille  maketh  short  victorie,’  and 
Cassidorus  seith,  ‘The  garnyson  is  stronger 
whan  it  is  longe  tyme  avysed.’ 

“  But  now  lat  us  speken  of  the  conseil  that 
was  accorded  by  youre  neighebores,  swiche  as 
doon  yow  reverence  withouten  love,  youre  olde 

1  Prepare.  2  Advise. 


286  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

enemys  reconsiled,  youre  flatereres,  that  con¬ 
sented  yow  certeyne  thynges  prively,  and  openly 
conseilleden  yow  the  contrarie,  the  yonge  folk 
also,  that  conseilleden  yow  to  venge  yow,  and 
make  werre  anon.  And  certes,  sire,  as  I  have 
seyd  biforn,  ye  han  greetly  erred  to  han  cleped 
swich  manere  folk  to  youre  conseil,  which  con- 
seillours  been  ynogh  repreved  by  the  resouns 
aforeseyd. 

“  But  nathelees,  lat  us  now  descende  to  the 
special.  Ye  shuln  first  procede  after  the  doc¬ 
trine  of  Tullius.  Certes,  the  trouthe  of  this 
matiere,  or  of  this  conseil,  nedeth  nat  diligently 
enquere,  for  it  is  wel  wist  whiche  they  been 
that  han  doon  to  yow  this  trespas  and  vileynye, 
[6970]  and  how  manye  trespassours  and  in  what 
manere  they  han  to  yow  doon  al  this  wrong 
and  all  this  vileynye.  And  after  this  thanne 
shul  ye  examyne  the  seconde  condicioun  which 
that  the  same  Tullius  addeth  in  this  matiere ; 
for  Tullius  put  a  thyng  which  that  he  clepeth 
consentynge,  this  is  to  seyn,  who  been  they, 
and  how  manye  [and  whiche  been  they1], 
that  consenten  to  thy  conseil,  in  thy  wilful- 
nesse  to  doon  hastif  vengeance.  And  lat  us 
considere  also  who  been  they,  and  how  manye 
been  they,  and  whiche  been  they,  that  consent- 
eden  to  youre  adversaries.  And  certes,  as  to 
the  firste  poynt,  it  is  wel  knowen  whiche  folk 


1  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


THE  GOOD-WIFE  ARGUES.  287 

been  they  that  consenteden  to  youre  hastif  wil- 
fulnesse,  for  trewely,  alle  tho1  that  conseilleden 
yow  to  maken  sodeyn  werre  ne  been  nat  youre 
freendes. 

“  Lat  us  now  considere  whiche  been  they  that 
ye  holde  so  greetly  youre  freendes  as  to  youre 
persone ;  for  al  be  it  so  that  ye  be  myghty  and 
riche,  certes,  ye  ne  been  nat  but  allone,  for 
certes,  ye  ne  han  no  child  but  a  doghter,  ne 
[6980]  ye  ne  han  bretheren,  ne  cosyns  germayns, 
ne  noon  oother  neigh  kynrede,  wherfore  2  that 
youre  enemys  for  drede  sholde  stinte  to  plede 
with  yow,  or  to  destroye  youre  persone.  Ye 
knowen  also  that  youre  richesses  mooten  been 
dispended  in  diverse  parties,  and  whan  that 
every  wight  hath  his  part,  they  ne  wollen  taken 
but  litel  reward  3  to  venge  thy  deeth  ;  but  thyne 
enemys  been  thre,  and  they  han  manie  chil¬ 
dren,  bretheren,  cosyns,  and  oother  ny  kynrede, 
and  though  so  were  that  thou  haddest  slayn  of 
hem  two  or  thre,  yet  dwellen  4  ther  ynowe  to 
wreken  hir  deeth,  and  to  sle  thy  persone.  And 
though  so  be  that  youre  kynrede  be  moore 
siker  and  stedefast  than  the  kyn  of  youre  ad- 
versarie,  yet  nathelees,  youre  kynrede  nys  but  a 
fer  kynrede,  they  been  but  litel  syb  5  to  yow,  and 
the  kyn  of  youre  enemys  bpen  ny  syb  to  hem, 
and  certes,  as  in  that  hir  condicioun  is  bet  than 
youres. 

1  Those.  2  That  is,  for  fear  of  whom.  3  Regard.  4  Remain.  6  Kin. 


288  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

“  Thanne  lat  us  considere  also  of  the  conseil- 
lyng  of  hem  that  conseilleden  yow  to  taken 
sodeyn  vengeaunce,  wheither  it  accorde  to  re- 
[6990]  soun.  And  certes,  ye  knowe  wel,  nay  for 
as  by  right  and  resoun,  ther  may  no  man  taken 
vengeance  on  no  wight  but  the  juge  that  hath 
the  jurisdiccioun  of  it,  whan  it  is  graunted 
hym  to  take  thilke 1  vengeance  hastily  or  at- 
temprely  2  as  the  lawe  requireth.  And  yet 
moore  over  of  thilke  word  that  Tullius  clepeth 
‘  consentynge,’  thou  shalt  considere  if  thy 
myght  and  thy  power  may  consenten  and  suf- 
fise  to  thy  wilfulnesse,  and  to  thy  conseillours. 
And  certes,  thou  mayst  wel  seyn  that  nay ;  for 
sikerly,  as  for  to  speke  proprely,  we  may  do  no 
thyng,  but  oonly  swich  thyng  as  we  may  doon 
rightfully,  and  certes,  rightfully  ne  mowe  ye 
take  no  vengeance,  as  of  youre  propre  auctor- 
itee. 

“  Thanne  mowe  ye  seen  that  youre  power  ne 
consenteth  nat,  ne  accordeth  nat,  with  youre 
wilfulnesse. 

“Lat  us  now  examyne  the  thridde  point,  that 
[7000]  Tullius  clepeth ‘consequent.’  Thou  shalt 
understonde  that  the  vengeance  that  thou  pur- 
posest  for  to  take  is  the  consequent,  and  ther- 
of  folweth  another  vengeaunce,  peril  andwerre, 
and  othere  damages  with-oute  nombre,  of 
whiche  we  be  nat  war,  as  at  this  tyme.  And 

1  The  same.  2  Moderately. 


THE  FER  CAUSE  AND  THE  NY  CAUSE.  289 

as  toucbynge  the  fourthe  point,  that  Tullius 
clepeth  ‘  engendrynge,’  thou  shalt  considere 
that  this  wrong  which  that  is  doon  to  thee  is 
engendred  of  the  hate  of  thyne  enemys,  and  of 
the  vengeance  takynge  upon  that  wolde  engen- 
dre  another  vengeance,  and  muchel  sorwe  and 
wastynge  of  richesses,  as  I  seyde. 

“  Now,  sire,  as  to  the  point  that  Tullius 
clepeth  ‘causes,’  which  that  is  the  laste  point. 
Thou  shalt  understonde  that  the  wrong  that 
thou  hast  receyved  hath  certeine  causes,  whiche 
that  clerkes  clepen  Oriens  and  Efficiens,  and 
Causa  lojigingua  and  Causa  propinqua ,  this  is 
to  seyn,  the  fer  cause  and  the  ny  cause.  The 
fer  cause  is  Almyghty  God,  that  is  cause  of 
alle  thynges  ;  the  neer  cause  is  thy  thre  enemys. 
[7010]  The  cause  accidental  was  hate,  the  cause 
material  been  the  fyve  woundes  of  thy  doghter. 
The  cause  formal  is  the  manere  of  hir  werk- 
ynge  that  broghten  laddres  and  cloumben  in 
at  thy  wyndowes ;  the  cause  final  was  for  to 
sle  thy  doghter.  It  letted  nat  in  as  muche  as 
in  hem  was. 

“  But  for  to  speken  of  the  fer  cause,  as  to 
what  ende  they  shul  come,  or  what  shal  finally 
bityde  of  hem  in  this  caas,  ne  kan  I  nat  deme 
but  by  conjectynge  and  by  supposynge.  For 
we  shul  suppose  that  they  shul  come  to  a 
wikked  ende  by-cause  that  the  book  of  de¬ 
crees  seith,  ‘  Seelden,  or  with  greet  peyne,  been 

vol.  1.  19 


290  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

causes  broght  to  good  ende  whanne  they  been 
baddely  bigonne.’ 

“  Now,  sire,  if  men  wolde  axe  me  why  that 
God  suffred  men  to  do  yow  this  vileynye, 
certes,  I  kan  nat  wel  answere,  as  for  no  sooth- 
fastnesse,  for  thapostle  seith  that  the  sciences  1 
and  the  juggementz  of  oure  Lord  God  Al- 
myghty  been  ful  depe,  —  ther  may  no  man  com- 
[7020]  prehende  ne  serchen  hem  suffisantly. 
Nathelees,  by  certeyne  presumpciouns  and  con- 
jectynges,  I  holde  and  bileeve,  that  God,  which 
that  is  ful  of  justice  and  of  rightwisnesse,  hath 
suffred  this  bityde  by  juste  cause,  resonable. 

“  Thy  name  is  Melibee,  this  is  to  seyn,  4  a 
man  that  drynketh  hony.’  Thou  hast  ydronke 
so  muchel  hony  of  sweete  temporeel  richesses, 
and  delices  2  and  honours  of  this  world,  that 
thou  art  dronken,  and  hast  forgeten  Jhesu 
Crist,  thy  creatour  ;  thou  ne  hast  nat  doon  to 
hym  swich  honour  and  reverence  as  thee  oughte, 
ne  thou  ne  hast  nat  wel  ytaken  kepe  3  to  the 
wordes  of  Ovide,  that  seith,  ‘Under  the  hony 
of  the  goodes  of  the  body  is  hyd  the  venym 
that  sleeth  the  soule  ;  ’  and  Salomon  seith,  4  If 
thou  hast  founden  hony,  ete  of  it  that  suffiseth, 
for  if  thou  ete  of  it  out  of  mesure,  thou  shalt 
[7030]  spewe,  and  be  nedy  and  povre  ;  ’  and  per- 
aventure,  Crist  hath  thee  in  despit,  and  hath 
turned  awey  fro  thee  his  face  and  hise  eeris  of 


1  Knowledge.  2  Delicacies.  3  Care. 


FLESSH,  FEEND  AND  WORLD.  29  l 

misericorde,1  and  also  he  hath  suffred  that  thou 
hast  been  punysshed  in  the  nianere  that  thow 
hast  ytrespassed.  Thou  hast  doon  synne  agayn 
oure  Lord  Crist,  for  certes,  the  thre  enemys 
of  mankynde,  —  that  is  to  seyn,  the  flessh,  the 
feend  and  the  world,  — thou  hast  suffred  hem 
entre  in  to  thyn  herte  wilfully  by  the  wyndowes 
of  thy  body,  and  hast  nat  defended  thy  self  suf- 
fisantly  agayns  hire  assautes,  and  hire  tempta- 
ciouns,  so  that  they  han  wounded  thy  soule  in 
five  places ;  this  is  to  seyn,  the  deedly  synnes 
that  been  entred  in-to  thyn  herte  by  thy  five 
wittes.  And  in  the  same  manere  oure  Lord 
Crist  hath  wold  2  and  suffred  that  thy  thre  en¬ 
emys  been  entred  in-to  thyn  hous  by  the  wyn¬ 
dowes,  and  han  ywounded  thy  doghter  in  the 
foreseyde  manere.” 

“  Certes,”  quod  Melibee,  “  I  se  wel  that  ye 
enforce  yow  muchel  by  wordes  to  overcome  me 
in  swich  manere  that  I  shal  nat  venge  me  of 
[7040]  myne  enemys,  shewynge  me  the  perils 
and  the  yveles  that  myghten  falle  of  this  venge¬ 
ance  ;  but  who-so  wolde  considere  in  alle  venge¬ 
ances  the  perils  and  yveles  that  myghte  sewe3 
of  vengeance  takynge,  a  man  wolde  nevere  take 
vengeance ;  and  that  were  harm,  for  by  the 
vengeance  takynge  been  the  wikked  men  dis¬ 
severed  fro  the  goode  men,  and  they  that  han 
wyl  to  do  wikkednesse  restreyne  hir  wikked 


1  Pity.  2  Willed.  3  Follow. 


292  CHAUCERS  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

purpos  whan  they  seen  the  punyssynge  and 
chastisynge  of  the  trespassours.” 

[And  to  this  answered  dame  Prudence, 
“  Certes,”  said  she,  “  I  grant  you  that  from 
vengeance  come  many  evils  and  many  benefits, 
and  yet  vengeance  belongeth  not  to  a  lay  per¬ 
son  but  only  to  the  judges,  and  to  those  who 
have  jurisdiction  over  evil-doers.1] 

“And  yet  seye  I  moore,  that  right  as  a  sin- 
guler  2  persone  synneth  in  takynge  vengeance 
of  another  man,  right  so  synneth  the  juge  if  he 
do  no  vengeance  of  hem  that  it  han  disserved  ; 
for  Senec  seith  thus  :  That  maister,  he  seith,  is 
[705°]  good  that  proveth3  shrewes.4  And,  as 
Cassidore  seith,  ‘  A  man  dredeth  to  do  outrages 
whan  he  woot  and  knoweth  that  it  displeseth  to 
the  juges  and  sovereyns.’  Another  seith,  ‘  The 
juge  that  dredeth  to  do  right  maketh  men 
shrewes,’  and  Seint  Paule  the  Apostle  seith  in 
his  Epistle,  whan  he  writeth  un-to  the  Ro- 
mayns,  that  ‘The  juges  beren  nat  the  spere  5 
with-outen  cause,  but  they  beren  it  to  punysse 
the  shrewes  and  mysdoeres,  and  to  defende  the 
goode  men.’  If  ye  wol  thanne  take  vengeance 
of  youre  enemys,  ye  shul  retourne,  or  have 
youre  recours  to  the  juge  that  hath  the  juris- 
diccion  up-on  hem,  and  he  shal  punysse  hem 
as  the  lawe  axeth  and  requireth.” 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  Supplied  from  the  French,  collated  with  the 
Latin.  2  Lay,  private.  3  Trieth.  4  Wicked  men.  8  St.  Paul 
and  the  Latin  original  have  “  sword.” 


TRUST  NOT  FORTUNE  !  293 

“  A  !  ”  quod  Melibee,  “  this  vengeance  liketh  1 
me  no  thyng.  I  bithenke  me  now,  and  take 
heede  how  Fortune  hath  norissed  me  fro  my 
childhede,  and  hath  holpen  me  to  passe  many 
a  stroong  paas.  Now  wol  I  assayen  hire,  trow- 
ynge  with  Goddes  helpe  that  she  shal  helpe 
me  my  shame  for  to  venge.” 

“  Certes,”  quod  Prudence,  “  if  ye  wol  werke 
by  my  conseil  ye  shul  nat  assaye  2  Fortune  by 
[7060]  no  wey,  ne  ye  shul  natleneor  bowe  un-to 
hire  after  the  word  of  Senec,  for  thynges  that 
been  folily  doon  and  that  been  in  hope  of  For¬ 
tune  shullen  nevere  come  to  good  ende.  And, 
as  the  same  Senec  seith,  ‘  The  moore  cleer  and 
the  moore  shynyng  that  Fortune  is,  the  moore 
brotil 8  and  the  sonner  broken  she  is  ;  trusteth 
nat  in  hire,  for  she  nys  nat  stidefaste,  ne  stable, 
for  whan  thow  trowest  to  be  moost  seur  and 
siker  of  hire  helpe,  she  wol  faille  thee  and  de- 
ceyve  thee.’  And  where  as  ye  seyn  that  For¬ 
tune  hath  norissed  yow  fro  youre  childhede,  I 
seye,  that  in  so  muchel  shul  ye  the  lasse  truste 
in  hire  and  in  hirwit ;  for  Senec  seith,  ‘What 
man  that  is  norissed  by  Fortune  she  maketh 
hym  a  greet  fool.’  Now  thanne,  syn  ye  desire 
and  axe  vengeance,  and  the  vengeance  that  is 
doon  after  the  lawe  and  bifore  the  juge  ne  liketh 
yow  nat,  and  the  vengeance  that  is  doon  in  hope 
[7070]  of  Fortune  is  perilous  and  uncertein, 


1  Pleaseth.  2  Try.  3  Brittle. 


294  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

thanne  have  ye  noon  oother  remedie,  but  for  to 
have  youre  recours  unto  the  sovereyn  juge  that 
vengeth  alle  vileynyes  and  wronges,  and  he  shal 
venge  yow  after  that  hym  self  witnesseth,  where 
as  he  seith,  ‘  Leveth  the  vengeance  to  me,  and 
I  shal  do  it.’  ” 

Melibee  answerde,  “  If  I  ne  venge  me  nat 
of  the  vileynye  that  men  han  doon  to  me,  I 
sompne1or  warne  hem  that  han  doon  to  me 
that  vileynye,  and  alle  othere,  to  do  me  another 
vileynye,  for  it  is  writen,  ‘  If  thou  take  no  venge¬ 
ance  of  an  oold  vileynye,  thou  sompnest  thyne 
adversaries  to  do  thee  a  newe  vileynye.’  And 
also  for  my  suff ranee  men  wolden  do  to  me  so 
muchel  vileynye  that  I  myghte  neither  bere  it 
ne  susteene,  and  so  sholde  I  been  put  and 
holden  over  lowe,  for  men  seyn,  ‘  In  muchel  suf- 
frynge  shul  manye  thynges  falle  un-to  thee 
whiche  thou  shalt  nat  mowe  2  suffre.’  ” 

“  Certes,”  quod  Prudence,  “  I  graunte  yow 
that  over  muchel  suffraunce  nys  nat  good,  but 
[7080]  yet  ne  folweth  it  nat  ther-of  that  every 
persone  to  whom  men  doon  vileynye  take  of  it 
vengeance,  for  that  aperteneth  and  longeth 3  al 
oonly  to  the  juges,  for  they  shul  venge  the 
vileynyes  and  injuries  ;  and  ther-fore  tho  two 
auctoritees  that  ye  han  seyd  above  been  oonly 
understonden  in  the  juges,  for  whan  they  suf- 
fren  over  muchel  the  wronges  and  the  vileynyes 

1  Summon.  2  Be  able  to.  3  Belongeth. 


LET  US  SUPPOSE  A  CASE. 


295 


to  be  doon  withouten  punysshynge,  they  sompne 
nat  a  man  al  oonly  for  to  do  newe  wronges, 
but  they  comanden  it.  Also  a  wys  man  seith 
that  the  juge  that  correcteth  nat  the  synnere 
comandeth  and  biddeth  hym  do  synne  ;  and 
the  juges  and  sovereyns  myghten  in  hir  land 
so  muchel  suffre  of  the  shrewes  and  mysdoeres, 
that  they  sholden,  by  swich  suffrance,  by  pro- 
ces  of  tyme  wexen  of  swich  power  and  myght 
that  they  sholden  putte  out  the  juges  and  the 
sovereyns  from  hir  places,  and  atte  laste  maken 
hem  lesen  1  hire  lordshipes. 

“  But  lat  us  now  putte  2  that  ye  have  leve  to 
[7090]  venge  yow.  I  seye  ye  been  nat  of  myght 
and  power  as  now  to  venge  yow,  for  if  ye  wole 
maken  comparisoun  un-to  the  myght  of  youre 
adversaries,  ye  shul  fynde  in  manye  thynges 
that  I  have  shewed  yow  er  this  that  hire  condi- 
cioun  is  bettre  than  youres  ;  and  therfore  seye 
I  that  it  is  good  as  now  that  ye  suffre  and  be 
pacient. 

“  Forthermoore,  ye  knowen  wel  that  after  the 
comune  sawe,  it  is  a  woodnesse3  a  man  to 
stryve  with  a  stranger,  or  a  moore  myghty  man 
than  he  is  hym  self ;  and  for  to  stryve  with  a 
man  of  evene  strengthe,  that  is  to  seyn,  with 
as  stronge  a  man  as  he,  it  is  peril ;  and  for  to 
stryve  with  a  weyker4  man,  it  isfolie  ;  and  ther¬ 
fore  sholde  a  man  flee  stryvynge  as  muchel  as 

1  Lose.  2  Put  it,  suppose.  3  Madness.  4  Weaker. 


296  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

he  myghte ;  for  Salomon  seith,  ‘It  is  a  greet 
worshipe  to  a  man  to  kepen  hym  fro  noyse  and 
stryf.’  And  if  it  so  bifalle  or  happe  that  a 
man  of  gretter  myght  and  strengthe  than  thou 
art  do  thee  grevaunce,  studie  and  bisye  thee 
rather  to  stille  the  same  grevaunce,  than  for  to 
[7100]  venge  thee,  for  Senec  seith,  that  ‘He 
putteth  hym  in  greet  peril  that  stryveth  with  a 
gretter  man  than  he  is  hym  self ;  ’  and  Catoun 
seith,  ‘  If  a  man  of  hyer  estaat  or  degree,  or 
moore  myghty  than  thou,  do  thee  anoy  1  or 
grevaunce,  suffre  hym,  for  he  that  oones  hath 
greved  thee,  another  tyme  may  releeve  thee  and 
helped 

“  Yet  sette  I  caas  2  ye  have  bothe  myght  and 
licence  for  to  venge  yow,  I  seye  that  ther  be 
ful  manye  thynges  that  shul  restreyne  yow  of 
vengeance  takynge,  and  make  yow  for  to  en- 
clyne  to  suffre  and  for  to  han  pacience  in  the 
thynges  that  han  been  doon  to  yow.  First 
and  foreward,  if  ye  wole  considere  the  defautes 
that  been  in  youre  owene  persone,  for  whiche 
defautes  God  hath  suffred  yow  have  this  tribu- 
lacioun,  as  I  have  seyd  yow  heer  biforn ;  for 
the  poete  seith,  that  we  oghte  paciently  taken 
the  tribulacions  that  comen  to  us  whan  we 
thynken  and  consideren  that  we  han  disserved 
to  have  hem ;  and  Seint  Gregorie  seith,  that 
whan  a  man  considered!  wel  the  nombre  of  hise 


1  Harm.  2  Suppose  I  a  case  in  which. 


“perdurable”  joys.  297 

[7110]  defautes  and  of  his  synnes,  the  peynes 
and  the  tribulaciouns  that  he  suffreth  semen 
the  lesse  un-to  hym  ;  and  in  as  muche  as  hym 
thynketh  hise  synnes  moore  hevy  and  grevous, 
in  so  muche  semeth  his  peyne  the  lighter,  and 
the  esier  un-to  hym. 

“Also  ye  owen1  to  enclyne  and  bowe  youre 
herte  to  take  the  pacience  of  oure  Lord  Jhesu 
Crist,  as  seith  Seint  Peter  in  hise  Epistles : 
‘  Jhesu  Crist/  he  seith,  4  hath  suffred  for  us 
and  geven  ensample  to  every  man  to  folwe  and 
sewe  2  hym,  for  he  dide  nevere  synne,  ne  nev- 
ere  cam  ther  a  vileynous  word  out  of  his  mouth  ; 
whan  men  cursed  hym  he  cursed  hem  noght, 
and  whan  men  betten  3  hym  he  manaced  4  hem 
noght.’  Also  the  grete  pacience  which  the 
seintes  that  been  in  paradys  han  had  in  tribu¬ 
laciouns  that  they  han  ysuffred  with-outen  hir 
desert  or  gilt  oghte  muchel  stiren  yow  to  pa¬ 
cience.  Forthermoore,  ye  sholde  enforce  yow 
[7x20]  to  have  pacience,  considerynge  that  the 
tribulaciouns  of  this  world  but  litel  while  en¬ 
dure,  and  soone  passed  been  and  goone,  and 
the  joye  that  a  man  seketh  to  have  by  pacience 
in  tribulaciouns  is  perdurable  5  after  that  ;  the 
Apostle  seith  in  his  Epistle,  ‘The  joye  of  God,’ 
he  seith,  ‘is  perdurable,’  that  is  to  seyn,  evere- 
lastynge. 

“  Also  trowe  and  bileveth  stedefastly  that  he 

1  Ought.  5  Pursue.  8  Beat.  4  Menaced.  5  Very  durable. 


2gS  CHAUCERS  TALE  OF  MELIBEUS. 

nys  nat  wel  ynorissed,  ne  wel  ytaught,  that  kan 
nat  have  pacience,  or  wol  nat  receyve  pacience  ; 
for  Salomon  seith  that  the  doctrine  and  the  wit 
of  a  man  is  knowen  by  pacience.  And  in  an¬ 
other  place  he  seith  that  he  that  is  pacient 
governeth  hym  by  greet  prudence.  And  the 
same  Salomon  seith,  ‘  The  angry  and  wrathful 
man  maketh  noyses,1  and  the  pacient  man 
atempreth 2  hem  and  stilleth.'  He  seith  also, 
‘  It  is  moore  worth  to  be  pacient,  than  for  to 
be  right  strong,’  and  he  that  may  have  the 
lordshipe  of  his  owene  herte  is  moore  to  preyse 
than  he  that  by  his  force  or  strengthe  taketh 
grete  citees  ;  and  therfore  seith  Seint  Jame  in 
his  Epistle,  that  pacience  is  a  greet  vertu  of 
perfeccioun.” 

[7130]  “  Certes,”  quod  Melibee,  “  I  graunte 
yow,  dame  Prudence,  that  pacience  is  a  greet 
vertu  of  perfeccioun,  but  every  man  may  nat 
have  the  perfeccioun  that  ye  seken,  ne  I  nam 
nat  of  the  nombre  of  right  partite  men,  for  myn 
herte  may  nevere  been  in  pees  un-to  the  tyme 
it  be  venged ;  and  al  be  it  so  that  it  was  greet 
peril  to  myne  enemys  to  do  me  a  vileynye  in 
takynge  vengeance  up-011  me,  yet  tooken  they 
noon  heede  of  the  peril,  but  fulfilleden  hir 
wikked  wyl,  and  hir  corage  ; 3  and  therfore,  me 
thynketh,  men  oghten  nat  repreve  me,  though 
I  putte  me  in  a  litel  peril  for  to  venge  me, 

1  Quarrels.  2  Moderateth.  3  Inclination. 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  PATIENCE.  299 

and  though  I  do  a  greet  excesse,  that  is  to 
seyn,  that  I  venge  oon  outrage  by  another.” 

“  A  !  ”  quod  dame  Prudence,  “  ye  seyn  youre 
wyl  and  as  yow  liketh,  but  in  no  caas  of  the 
world  a  man  sholde  nat  doon  outrage,  ne  ex- 
[7140]  cesse,  for  to  vengen  hym,  for  Cassidore 
seith  that  as  yvele  dooth  he  that  vengeth  hym 
by  outrage  as  he  that  dooth  the  outrage  ;  and 
therfore,  ye  shul  venge  yow  after  the  ordre  of 
right,  that  is  to  seyn,  by  the  lawe,  and  nogh£  by 
excesse  ne  by  outrage.  And  also,  if  ye  wol 
venge  yow  of  the  outrage  of  youre  adversaries 
in  oother  manere  than  right  comandeth,  ye 
synnen,  and  therfore  seith  Senec,  that  a  man 
shal  nevere  vengen  shrewednesse  1  by  shrewed- 
nesse.  And  if  ye  seye  that  right  axeth  a  man 
to  defenden  violence  by  violence,  and  fightyng 
by  fightyng,  certes,  ye  seye  sooth,  whan  the 
defense  is  doon  anon  with-outen  intervalle  or 
with-outen  tariyng  or  delay,  for  to  deffenden 
hym  and  nat  for  to  vengen  hym.  And  it  bi- 
hoveth  that  a  man  putte  swich  attemperance  2 
in  his  deffense  that  men  have  no  cause  ne  ma- 
tiere 3  to  repreven  hym  that  deffendeth  hym  of 
excesse  and  outrage,  for  ellis  were  it  agayn  re- 
soun.  Pardee  ye  knowen  wel  that  ye  maken 
no  deffense  as  now  for  to  deffende  yow,  but  for 
[7150]  to  venge  yow,  and  so  sbeweth  it  that  ye 
han  no  wyl  to  do  youre  clede  attemprely,  and 

1  Wickedness.  2  Moderation.  3  Occasion  (Fr.  viatiere). 


300  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

therfore  me  thynketh  that  pacience  is  good, 
for  Salomon  seith  that  he  that  is  nat  pacient 
shal  have  greet  harm.” 

“  Certes,”  quod  Melibee,  “  I  graunte  yow 
that  whan  a  man  is  inpacient  and  wrooth,  of 
that  that  toucheth  hym  noght  and  that  aper- 
teneth  nat  un-to  hym,  though  it  harme  hym,  it 
is  no  wonder,  for  the  lawe  seith  that  he  is  cou- 
pable 1  that  entremetteth 2  or  medleth  with 
swych  thyng  as  aperteneth  nat  un-to  hym. 
And  Salomon  seith,  that  he  that  entremetteth 
hym  of  the  noyse  or  strif  of  another  man  is 
lyk  to  hym  that  taketh  an  hound  by  the  eris ; 
for  right  as  he  that  taketh  a  straunge  hound  by 
the  eris  is  outherwhile 3  biten  with  the  hound, 
right  in  the  same  wise  is  it  resoun  that  he  have 
harm  that  by  his  inpacience  medleth  hym  of 
the  noyse  of  another  man  where-as  it  aper¬ 
teneth  nat  un-to  hym.  But  ye  knowen  wel  that 
this  dede,  that  is  to  seyn,  my  grief  and  my  dis- 
ese,4  toucheth  me  right  ny,  and  therfore,  though 
I  be  wrooth  and  inpacient,  it  is  no  merveille ; 
and,  savynge  youre  grace,  I  kan  nat  seen  that 
it  nyyghte  greetly  harme  me  though  I  tooke 
[7160]  vengeaunce,  for  I  am  richer  and  moore 
myghty  than  myne  enemys  been.  And  wel 
knowen  ye  that  by  moneye  and  by  havynge 
grete  possessions  been  alle  the  thynges  of  this 
world  governed  ;  and  Salomon  seith,  that  alle 
thynges  obeyen  to  moneye.” 

1  Culpable.  2  Intermeddleth.  3  At  times.  4  Discomfort. 


“if  thou  be  right  riche!”  301 

Whan  Prudence  hadde  herd  hir  housbonde 
avanten  hym  of  his  richesse  and  of  his  moneye, 
dispreisynge  the  power  of  hise  adversaries,  she 
spak,  and  seyde  in  this  wise  :  “  Certes,  deere 
sire,  I  graunte  yow  that  ye  been  riche  and 
myghty,  and  that  the  richesses  been  goode  to 
hem  that  han  wel  ygeten  hem  and  wel  konne 
usen  hem ;  for,  right  as  the  body  of  a  man  may 
nat  lyven  with-oute  the  soule,  namoore  may  it 
lyve  with-outen  temporeel  goodes ;  and  for  rich¬ 
esses  may  a  man  gete  hym  grete  freendes. 
And  therfore  seith  Pamphilles,1  ‘  If  a  netherdes 
doghter,’  seith  he,  ‘  be  riche,  she  may  chesen  of 
a  thousand  men  [which  she  wol  take  to  her 
housebonde  ’ 2],  for  of  a  thousand  men  oon  wol 
[7170]  nat  forsaken  hire  ne  refusen  hire.  And 
this  Pamphilles  seith  also,  ‘If  thow  be  right 
happy,  that  is  to  seyn,  if  thou  be  right  riche, 
thou  shalt  fynde  a  greet  nombre  of  felawes  and 
freendes  ;  and  if  thy  fortune  change  that  thou 
wexe  povre,  farewel  freendshipe  and  felawe- 
shipe,  for  thou  shalt  be  al  alloone  with-outen 
any  compaignye,  but  if  it  be  the  compaignye  of 
povre  folk.’  And  yet  seith  this  Pamphilles 
moreover,  that  they  that  been  thralle  and  bonde 
of  lynage  shullen  been  maad  worthy  and  noble 
by  the  richesses  ;  and  right  so  as  by  richesses 
ther  comen  manye  goodes,  right  so  by  poverte 
come  ther  manye  harmes  and  yveles,  for  greet 

1  Cf.  1.  15,886.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  From  Hengwrt  MS. 


302  CHAUCER’S  TALE  OF  MELICEUS. 

poverte  constreyneth  a  man  to  do  manye  yveles, 
and  therfore  clepeth  Cassidore  poverte  the 
mooder  of  ruyne, — that  is  to  seyn,  the  moo- 
der  of  overthrowynge  or  fallynge  doun.  And 
therfore  seith  Piers  Alfonce,  ‘  Oon  of  the  gret- 
teste  adversitees  of  this  world  is  whan  a  free 
man  by  kynde 1  or  by  burthe  is  constreyned  by 
poverte  to  eten  the  almesse  of  his  enemy  and 
[7180]  the  same  seith  Innocent  in  oon  of  hise 
bookes  ;  he  seith  that  sorweful  and  myshappy 
is  the  conclicioun  of  a  povre  beggere,  for  if  he 
axe  nat  his  mete  he  dyeth  for  hunger,  and  if 
he  axe,  he  dyeth  for  shame,  and  algates 2  neces- 
sitee  constreyneth  hym  to  axe.  And  therfore 
seith  Salomon  that  bet  it  is  to  dye  than  for  to 
have  swich  poverte.  And  as  the  same  Salo¬ 
mon  seith,  ‘  Bettre  it  is  to  dye  of  bitter  deeth 
than  for  to'  lyven  in  swich  wise.’  By  thise  re- 
sons  that  I  have  seid  un-to  yow,  and  by  manye 
othere  resons  that  I  koude  seye,  I  graunte  yow 
that  richesses  been  goode  to  hem  that  geten 
hem  wel  and  to  hem  that  wel  usen  tho  rich¬ 
esses.  And  therfore  wol  I  shewe  yow  hou  ye 
shul  have  yow,  and  how  ye  shul  bere  yow  in 
gaderynge  of  richesses,  and  in  what  manere  ye 
shul  usen  hem. 

“  First,  ye  shul  geten  hem  with-outen  greet 
desir,  by  good  leyser,  sokyngly,3  and  nat  over 
hastily ;  for  a  man  that  is  to  desirynge  to  gete 

1  Nature.  2  Notwithstanding.  8  Suckingly,  gently. 


“ye  mosten  flee  ydelnesse.”  303 

richesses  abaundoneth  hym  first  to  thefte,  and 
[7190]  to  alle  other  yveles  ;  and  therfore  seith 
Salomon,  ‘  He  that  hasteth  hym  to  bisily  to 
wexe  riche  shal  be  noon  innocent.’  He  seith 
also,  that  the  richesse  that  hastily  cometh  to 
a  man  soone  and  lightly1  gooth  and  passeth  fro 
a  man  ;  but  that  richesse  that  cometh  litel  and 
litel  wexeth  alwey  and  multiplieth.  And,  sire, 
ye  shul  geten  richesses  by  youre  wit  and  by 
youre  travaille  un-to  youre  profit,  and  that 
with-outen  wrong  or  harm  doynge  to  anyoother 
persone,  for  the  lawe  seith  that  ther  maketh 
no  man  himselven  riche  if  he  do  harm  to  an¬ 
other  wight :  this  is  to  seyn,  that  nature  def- 
fendeth  2  and  forbedeth  by  right  that  no  man 
make  hym-self  riche  un-to  the  harm  of  another 
persone.  And  Tullius  seith  that  no  sorwe,  ne 
no  drede  of  deeth,  ne  no  thyng  that  may  falle 
un-to  a  man,  is  so  muchel  agayns  nature  as  a 
man  to  encressen  his  owene  profit  to  the  harm 
of  another  man.  And  though  the  grete  men 
and  the  myghty  men  geten  richesses  moore 
[7200]  lightly  than  thou,  yet  shaltou  nat  been 
ydel  ne  slow  to  do  thy  profit,  for  thou  shalt  in 
alle  wise  flee  ydelnesse ;  for  Salomon  seith  that 
ydelnesse  techeth  a  man  to  do  manye  yveles. 
And  the  same  Salomon  seith  that  he  that  trav- 
ailleth  and  bisieth  hym  to  tilien  his  land  shal 
eten  breed,  but  he  that  is  ydel  and  casteth  hym 

1  Easily.  2  Prohibiteth. 


304  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

to  no  bisynesse  ne  occupacioun  shal  falle  in-to 
poverte,  and  dye  for  hunger.  And  he  that  is 
ydel  and  slow  kan  nevere  fynde  covenable 1 
tyme  for  to  doon  his  profit ;  for  ther  is  a  versi- 
fiour  seith  that  the  ydel  man  excuseth  hym  in 
wynter  by  cause  of  the  grete  coold,  and  in 
somer  by  enchesoun  2  of  the  heete.  For  thise 
causes  seith  Caton,  ‘  Waketh  and  enclyneth  nat 
yow  over  muchel  for  to  slepe,  for  over  muchel 
reste  norisseth  and  causeth  manye  vices.’  And 
therfore  seith  Seint  Jerome,  ‘  Dooth  somme 
goodes,  that  the  devel,  which  is  oure  enemy, 
ne  fynde  yow  nat  unocupied,  for  the  devel  ne 
taketh  nat  lightly  un-to  his  werkynge  swiche  as 
he  fyndeth  occupied  in  goode  werkes.’ 

“  Thanne  thus  in  getynge  richesses  ye  mosten 
[7210]  flee  ydelnesse  ;  and  afterward  ye  shul  use 
the  richesses  whiche  ye  have  geten  by  youre 
wit  and  by  youre  travaille,  in  swich  a  manere 
that  men  holde  nat  yow  to  scars,  ne  to  spar- 
ynge,  ne  to  fool  large,  3  —  that  is  to  seyn,  over 
large  a  spendere  ;  for  right  as  men  blamen  an 
avaricious  man  by  cause  of  his  scarsetee  4  and 
chyngerie,5  in  the  same  wise  is  he  to  blame  that 
spendeth  over  largely.  And  therfore  seith  Ca¬ 
ton,  ‘Use,’  he  seith,  ‘thy  richesses  that  thou 
hast  geten  in  swich  a  manere  that  men  have  no 
matiere  ne  cause  to  calle  thee  neither  wrecche 

1  Convenient.  2  Occasion.  3  Too  extravagant.  4  Penuriousness. 
5  Niggardness  (Fr.  chiche).  Cf.  1.  13,524. 


305 


“YE  SHUL  FLEEN  AVARICE.” 

ne  chynche  -,1  for  it  is  a  greet  shame  to  a  man 
to  have  a  povere  herte  and  a  riche  purs.’  He 
seith  also,  ‘  The  goodes  that  thou  hast  ygeten, 
use  hem  by  mesure,  that  is  to  seyn,  spende 
hem  mesurably  ;  for  they  that  folily  2  wasten 
and  despenden  the  goodes  that  they  han,  whan 
they  han  namoore  propre  3  of  hir  owene  they 
shapen  hem  to  take  the  goodes  of  another  man.’ 

[7220]  “  I  seye  thanne  that  ye  shul  fleen  ava¬ 
rice,  usynge  youre  richesses  in  swich  manere 
that  men  seye  nat  that  youre  richesses  been 
yburyed,  but  that  ye  have  hem  in  youre  myght 
and  in  youre  weeldynge ; 4  for  a  wys  man  re- 
preveth 5  the  avaricious  man  and  seith  thus  in 
two  vers  :  ‘  Wherto  and  why  burieth  a  man  hise 
goodes  by  his  grete  avarice,  and  knoweth  wel 
that  nedes  moste  he  dye,  for  deeth  is  the  ende 
of  every  man,  as  in  this  present  lyf ;  and  for 
what  cause  or  enchesoun  6  joyneth  he  hym  or 
knytteth  he  hym  so  faste  un-to  hise  goodes 
that  alle  hise  wittes  mowen  nat  disseveren  hym 
or  departen7  hym  from  hise  goodes  ;  and  know¬ 
eth  wel,  or  oghte  knowe,  that  whan  he  is  deed 
he  shal  no  thyng  bere  with  hym  out  of  this 
world  ?  ’  And  ther-fore  seith  Seint  Augustyn, 
that  the  avaricious  man  is  likned  un-to  helle, 
[7230]  that  the  moore  it  swelweth  8  the  moore 
desir  it  hath  to  swelwe  and  devoure.  And  as 

1  Villain  nor  churl.  2  Foolishly.  3  Property.  4  Power.  6  Re- 
proveth.  0  Occasion.  7  Separate.  8  Swalloweth. 

VOL.  I.  20 


306  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

wel  as  ye  wolcle  eschewe  to  be  called  an  avari¬ 
cious  man  or  chynche,  as  wel  sholde  ye  kepe 
yow  and  governe  yow  in  swich  a  wise  that  men 
calle  yow  nat  fool-large.1  Therfore  seith  Tul¬ 
lius,  ‘  The  goodes,’  he  seith,  ‘  of  thyn  hous  ne 
sholde  nat  been  hyd,  ne  kept  so  cloos  but  that 
they  myghte  been  opened  by  pitee  and  debo- 
nairetee,’ 2  —  that  is  to  seyn,  to  geven  part  to 
hem  that  han  greet  nede, — ‘ne  thy  goodes 
shul len  nat  been  so  opene  to  been  every  mannes 
goodes.’ 

“  Afterward,  in  getynge  of  youre  richesses  and 
in  usynge  hem,  ye  shul  alwey  have  thre  thynges 
in  youre  herte,  that  is  to  seyn,  oure  Lord  God, 
conscience,  and  good  name.  First,  ye  shul 
have  God  in  youre  herte,  and  for  no  richesse  ye 
shullen  do  no  thyng  which  may  in  any  manere 
displese  God,  that  is  youre  creatour  and  mak- 
[7240]  ere;  for  after  the  word  of  Salomon,  ‘It 
is  bettre  to  have  a  litel  good  with  the  love  of 
God,  than  to  have  muchel  good  and  tresour 
and  lese3  the  love  of  his  Lord  God.’  And  the 
prophete  seith  that  bettre  it  is  to  been  a  good 
man  and  have  litel  good  and  tresour,  than  to 
been  holden  a  shrewe,  and  have  grete  rich¬ 
esses.  And  yet  seye  I  ferthermoore,  that  ye 
sholde  alwey  doon  youre  bisynesse  to  gete  yow 
richesses,  so  that  ye  gete  hem  with  good  con¬ 
science,  and  th apostle  seith  that  ther  nys  thyng 

1  Foolishly  liberal.  2  Kindliness.  8  Lose. 


‘GOOD  CONSCIENCE  AND  GOOD  LOOS.”  30 7 

in  this  world  of  which  we  sholden  have  so  greet 
joye  as  whan  oure  conscience  bereth  us  good 
witnesse  ;  and  the  wise  man  seith,  ‘  The  sub¬ 
stance  of  a  man  is  ful  good  whan  synne  is  nat 
in  mannes  conscience.’ 

“Afterward,  in  getynge  of  youre  richesses 
and  in  usynge  of  hem,  yow  moste  have  greet 
bisynesse  and  greet  diligence  that  youre  goode 
[7250]  name  be  alwey  kept  and  conserved,  for 
Salomon  seith  that  bettre  it  is  and  moore  it 
availleth  a  man  to  have  a  good  name  than  for 
to  have  grete  richesses.  And  therfore  he  seith 
in  another  place,  ‘  Do  greet  diligence,’  seith 
Salomon,  ‘in  kepyng  of  thy  freend  and  of  thy 
goode  name,  for  it  shal  lenger  abide  with  thee 
than  any  tresour,  be  it  never  so  precious.’ 
And  certes,  he  sholde  nat  be  called  a  gentil 
man  that  after  God  and  good  conscience,  alle 
thynges  left,  ne  dooth  his  diligence  and  bisy¬ 
nesse  to  kepeti  his  good  name.  And  Cassidore 
seith  that  it  is  signe  of  gentil  herte  whan  a 
man  loveth  and  desireth  to  han  a  good  name. 
And  therfore  seith  Seint  Augustyn,  that  ther 
been  two  thynges  that  arn  necessarie  and  nede- 
fulle,  and  that  is,  good  conscience  and  good 
loos  j 1  that  is  to  seyn,  good  conscience  to  thyn 
owene  persone  inward,  and  good  loos  for  thy 
neighebore  outward.  And  he  that  trusteth 
hym  so  muchel  in  his  goode  conscience  that  he 


1  Fame  (Latin,  laus,  good  repute). 


308  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

displeseth  and  setteth  at  noght  his  goode  name 
or  loos,  and  rekketh  noght  though  he  kepe  nat 
his  goode  name,  nys  but  a  crueel  cherl. 

[7260]  “  Sire,  now  have  I  shewed  yow  how  ye 
shul  do  in  getynge  richesses,  and  how  ye  shul- 
len  usen  hem,  and  I  se  wel  that  for  the  trust 
that  ye  han  in  youre  richesses  ye  wole  moeve 
werre  and  bataille.  I  conseille  yow  that  ye 
bigynne  no  werre  in  trust  of  youre  richesses, 
for  they  ne  suffisen  noght  werres  to  mayntene. 
And  therfore  seith  a  philosophre,  ‘  That  man 
that  desireth  and  wole  algates 1  han  werre  shal 
nevere  have  suffisaunce,  for  the  richer  that  he 
is,  the  gretter  despenses  moste  he  make  if  he 
wole  have  worshipe  and  victorie.’  And  Salo¬ 
mon  seith  that  the  gretter  richesses  that  a  man 
hath,  the  mo  despendours  he  hath.  And,  deere 
sire,  al  be  it  so  that  for  youre  richesses  ye 
mowe  have  muchel  folk,  yet  bihoveth  it  nat, 
ne  it  is  nat  good  to  bigynne  werre  where  as  ye 
mowe  in  oother  manere  have  pees  un-to  youre 
worshipe  and  profit.  For  the  victories  of  ba- 
tailles  that  been  in  this  world  lyen  nat  in  greet 
nombre  or  multitude  of  the  peple,  ne  in  the 
vertu  2  of  man,  but  it  lith  in  the  wyl  and  in  the 
hand  of  oure  Lord  God  Almyghty. 

[7270]  “  And  therfore  Judas  Machabeus, 
which  was  Goddes  knyght,  whan  he  sholde  fighte 
agayn  his  adversarie  that  hadde  a  greet  nombre 


1  Always.  2  Valor. 


IN  BATTLE,  PERIL. 


309 


and  a  gretter  multitude  of  folk  and  strenger 
than  was  this  peple  of  Machabee,  yet  he  re- 
conforted  his  litel  compaignye,  and  seyde  right 
in  this  wise :  £  Als  lightly,’ 1  quod  he,  ‘  may  oure 
Lord  God  Almyghty  geve  victorie  to  a  fewe 
folk  as  to  many  folk,  for  the  victorie  of  a  ba- 
taile  comth  nat  by  the  grete  nombre  of  peple, 
but  it  come  from  oure  Lord  God  of  hevene.’ 

“  And,  deere  sire,  for  as  muchel  as  ther  is  no 
man  certein  if  he  be  worthy  that  God  geve  hym 
victorie  [no  more  than  he  is  sure  whether  he  is 
worthy  of  the  love  of  God  2]  or  naught.  After 
that  Salomon  seith,  ‘Therfore  every  man  sholde 
greedy  drede  werres  to  bigynne  ;  ’  and  by  cause 
that  in  batailles  fallen  manye  perils,  and  hap- 
peth  outher  while  that  as  soone  is  the  grete 
[7280]  man  slayn  as  the  litel  man  ;  and  as  it  is 
writen  in  the  Seconde  book  of  Kynges,  ‘  The 
dedes  of  batailles  been  aventurouse  and  no 
thyng  certeyne,  for  as  lightly  is  oon  hurt  with 
a  spere  as  another ;  ’  and  for  ther  is  gret  peril 
in  werre,  therfore  sholde  a  man  flee  and  eschue 
werre,  in  as  muchel  as  a  man  may  goodly,  for 
Salomon  seith,  ‘  He  that  loveth  peril  shal  falle 
in  peril.’  ” 

After  that  dame  Prudence  hackle  spoken  in 
this  manere,  Melibee  answerde  and  seyde,  “  I 
see  wel,  dame  Prudence,  that  by  youre  faire 
wordes,  and  by  youre  resouns  that  ye  han 

1  Easily.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  Supplied  from  the  French. 


310  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

shewed  me,  that  the  werre  liketh  yow  no  thyng, 
but  I  have  nat  yet  herd  youre  conseil  how  I 
shal  do  in  this  nede.” 

“Certes,”  quod  she,  “I  conseille  yow  that 
ye  accorde  with  youre  adversaries  and  that  ye 
have  pees  with  hem;  for  Seint  Jame  seith,  in 
hise  Epistles,  that  by  concord  and  pees  the 
smale  richesses  wexen  grete,  and  by  debaat 
and  discord  the  grete  richesses  fallen  doun ; 
[7290]  and  ye  knowen  wel  that  oon  of  the  gret- 
teste  and  moost  sovereyn  thyng  that  is  in  this 
world  is  unytee  and  pees.  And  therfore  seyde 
oure  Lord  Jhesu  Crist  to  hise  Apostles  in  this 
wise,  ‘  Wel  happy  and  blessed  been  they  that 
loven  and  purchacen  pees,  for  they  been  called 
children  of  God.’  ” 

“A!”  quod  Melibee,  “now  se  I  wel  that  ye 
loven  nat  myn  honour  ne  my  worshipe.  Ye 
knowen  wel  that  myne  adversaries  han  bigon- 
nen  this  debaat  and  bryge  1  by  hire  outrage, 
and  ye  se  wel  that  they  ne  requeren  ne  preyen 
me  nat  of  pees,  ne  they  asken  nat  to  be  recon- 
siled.  Wol  ye  thanne  that  I  go  and  meke  me 
and  obeye  me  to  hem  and  crie  hem  mercy? 
For  sothe  that  were  nat  my  worshipe  ; 2  for 
right  as  men  seyn  that  over  greet  hoomlynesse 
engendreth  dispreisynge,  so  fareth  it  by  to 
greet  humylitee  or  mekenesse.” 

1  Contention  (French,  brigue,  intrigue;  Italian,  briga ,  quarrel). 
2  Honor. 


THE  ASSUMED  WRATH  OF  PRUDEHCE.  3 1  I 

Thanne  bigan  dame  Prudence  to  maken  sem- 
[73°°]  blant 1  of  wratthe,  and  seyde,  “  Certes, 
sire,  sauf  youre  grace,  I  love  youre  honour  and 
youre  profit  as  I  do  myn  owene,  and  evere 
have  doon  ;  ne  ye,  ne  noon  oother,  syen 2  nevere 
the  contrarie  !  And  yit  if  I  hadde  seyd  that  ye 
sholde  han  purchaced  the  pees  and  the  recon - 
siliacioun,  I  ne  hadde  nat  muchel  mystaken 
me,  ne  seyd  amys,  for  the  wise  man  seith,  ‘The 
dissensioun  bigynneth  by  another  man  and 
the  reconsilyng  by-gynneth  by  thy  self ;  ’  and 
the  prophete'  seith,  ‘  Flee  shrewednesse  and  do 
goodnesse,  seke  pees  and  folwe  it,  as  muchel 
as  in  thee  is.’  Yet  seye  I  nat  that  ye  shul 
rather  pursue  to  youre  adversaries*  for  pees 
than  they  shuln  to  yow  ;  for  I  knowe  wel  that 
ye  been  so  hard-herted  that  ye  wol  do  no  thyng 
for  me  ;  and  Salomon  seith,  ‘  He  that  hath  over 
hard  an  herte  atte  laste  he  shal  myshappe  and 
mystyde.5  ” 3 

Whanne  Melibee  hadde  herd  dame  Pru¬ 
dence  maken  semblant  of  wratthe,  he  seyde 
[7310]  in  this  wise:  “Dame,  I  prey  yow  that 
ye  be  nat  displesed  of  thynges  that  I  seye,  for 
ye  knowe  wel  that  I  am  angry  and  wrooth,  and 
that  is-  no  wonder,  and  they  that  been  wrothe 
witen  nat  wel  what  they  don  ne  what  they  seyn  ; 
therfore  the  prophete  seith  that  troubled  eyen 
han  no  cleer  sighte.  But  seyeth  and  conseil- 


1  Appearance.  2  Saw.  3  Have  misfortune. 


312  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

eth  me  as  yow  liketh,  for  I  am  redy  to  do  right 
as  ye  wol  desire,  and  if  ye  repreve  me  of  my 
folye  I  am  the  moore  holden  to  love  yow  and 
preyse  yow,  for  Salomon  seith  that  he  that  re- 
preveth  hym  that  dooth  folye  he  shal  fynde 
gretter  grace  than  he  that  deceyveth  hym  by 
sweete  wordes.” 

Thanne  seide  dame  Prudence,  “  I  make  no 
semblant  of  wratthe  ne  anger  but  for  youre 
grete  profit,  for  Salomon  seith,  ‘  He  is  moore 
worth  that  repreveth  or  chideth  a  fool  for  his 
folye,  shewynge  hym  semblant  of  wratthe,  than 
[7320]  he  that  supporteth  hym  and  preyseth  hym 
in  his  mysdoynge,  and  laugheth  at  his  folye.’ 
And  this  same  Salomon  seith  afterward  that  by 
the  sorweful  visage  of  a  man,  that  is  to  seyn, 
by  the  sory  and  hevy  contenaunce  of  a  man, 
the  fool  correcteth  and  amendeth  hym  self.” 

Thanne  seyde  Melibee,  “  I  shal  nat  konne  1 
answere  to  so  manye  faire  resouns  as  ye  put- 
ten  to  me  and  shewen  ;  seyeth  shortly  youre 
wyl  and  youre  conseil,  and  I  am  al  redy  to  ful- 
fille  and  parfourne  it.” 

Thanne  dame  Prudence  discovered 2  al  hir 
wyl  to  hym,  and  seyde,  “  I  conseille  yow,”  quod 
she,  “  aboven  alle  thynges,  that  ye  make  pees 
bitwene  God  and  yow,  and  beth  reconsiled 
un-to  hym  and  to  his  grace  ;  for  as  I  have 
seyd  yow  heer  biforn,  God  hath  suffred  yow  to 

1  Be  able  to.  2  Expressed. 


MELIBEUS  IS  OVERCOME.  3  1 3 

have  this  tribulacioun  and  disese 1  for  youre 
synnes,  and  if  ye  do  as  I  sey  yow,  God  wol 
[733°]  sende  youre  adversaries  un-to  yow  and 
maken  hem  fallen  at  youre  feet  redy  to  do  youre 
wyl  and  youre  comandementz ;  for  Salomon 
seith,  ‘  Whan  the  condicioun  of  man  is  plesaunt 
and  likynge  to  God,  he  chaungeth  the  hertes  of 
the  mannes  adversaries  and  constreyneth  hem 
to  biseken  hym  of  pees  and  of  grace.’  And  I 
prey  yow,  lat  me  speke  with  youre  adversaries 
in  privee  place,  for  they  shul  nat  knowe  that  it 
be  of  youre  wyl  or  youre  assent,  and  thanne, 
whan  I  knowe  hir  wil  and  hire  entente,  I  may 
conseille  yow  the  moore  seurely.” 

“  Dame,”  quod  Melibee,  “  dooth  youre  wil 
and  youre  likynge,  for  I  putte  me  hoolly  in 
youre  disposicioun  and  ordinaunce.” 

Thanne  dame  Prudence,  whan  she  saugh  the 
goode  wyl  of  hir  housbonde,  delibered 2  and 
took  avys  in  hir  self,  thinkinge  how  she  myghte 
brynge  this  nede  un-to  a  good  conclusioun  and 
[7340]  to  a  good  ende.  And  whan  she  saugh 
hir  tyme  she  sente  for  thise  adversaries  to  come 
un-to  hire  in  to  a  pryvee  place,  and  shewed 
wisely  un-to  hem  the  grete  goodes  that  comen 
of  pees,  and  the  grete  harmes  and  perils  that 
been  in  werre,  and  seyde  to  hem  in  a  goodly 
manere  hou  that  hem  oughten  have  greet  re- 
pentaunce  of  the  injurie  and  wrong  that  they 


1  Trouble.  2  Deliberated. 


314  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

hadden  doon  to  Melibee,  hir  lord,  and  to  hire, 
and  to  hire  doghter. 

And  whan  they  herden  the  goodliche  wordes 
of  dame  Prudence,  they  weren  so  supprised  and 
ravysshed,  and  hadden  so  greet  joye  of  hire, 
that  wonder  was  to  telle.  “  A !  lady,”  quod 
they,  “  ye  han  shewed  un-to  us  the  blessynge  of 
swetnesse  after  the  sawe  1  of  David  the  proph- 
ete,  for  the  reconsilynge  which  we  been  nat 
worthy  to  have  in  no  manere,  but  we  oghte  re- 
queren  it  with  greet  contricioun  and  humyli- 
[735°]  tee,  ye,  of  youre  grete  goodnesse,  have 
presented  unto  us.  Now  se  we  wel  that  the 
science  and  the  konnynge  2  of  Salomon  is  ful 
trewe,  for  he  seith  that  sweete  wordes  mul- 
tiplien  and  encreesen  freendes,  and  maken 
shrewes  to  be  debonaire  and  meeke. 

“  Certes,”  quod  they,  “we  putten  oure  dede 
and  al  oure  matere  and  cause  al  hoolly  in  youre 
goode  wyl,  and  been  redy  to  obeye  to  the 
speche  and  comandement  of  my  lord  Melibee. 
And  therfore,  deere  and  benygne  lady,  we 
preien  yow  and  biseke  yow  as  mekely  as  we 
konne  and  mowen,3  that  it  lyke 4  un-to  youre 
grete  goodnesse  to  fulfillen  in  dede  youre  good¬ 
liche  wordes,  for  we  consideren  and  knowe- 
lichen 5  that  we  han  offended  and  greved  my  lord 
Melibee  out  of  mesure,  so  ferforth  that  we  be 

1  Saying,  maxim.  2  Knowledge  and  the  wisdom.  3  May,  are  able. 
4  Please.  6  Acknowledge. 


THE  ENEMIES  HUMBLED.  3  I  5 

nat  of  power  to  maken  hise  amendes,  and  ther- 
fore  we  oblige  and  bynden  us  and  oure  freendes 
to  doon  al  his  wyl  and  hise  comandementz. 
[7360]  But  peraventure  he  hath  swich  hevynesse 
and  swich  wratthe  to  us  ward  by  cause  of  oure 
offense,  that  he  wole  enjoyne  us  swich  a  peyne 
as  we  mowe  nat  bere  ne  susteene,  and  therfore, 
noble  lady,  we  biseke  to  youre  wommanly  pitee 
to  taken  swich  avysement  in  this  nede  that  we 
ne  oure  freendes  be  nat  desherited  ne  destroyed 
thurgh  oure  folye.” 

“  Certes,”  quod  Prudence,  “it  is  an  hard 
thyng  and  right  perilous  that  a  man  putte  hym 
al  outrely  1  in  the  arbitracioun  and  juggement, 
and  in  the  myght  and  power  of  hise  enemys, 
for  Salomon  seith,  ‘  Leeveth  2  me,  and  geveth 
credence  to  that  I  shal  seyn ;  I  seye,’  quod 
he,  ‘  ye  peple,  folk  and  governours  of  hooly 
chirche,  to  thy  sone,  to  thy  wyf,  to  thy  freend, 
ne  to  thy  broother,  ne  geve  thou  nevere  myght 
ne  maistrie  of  thy  body  whil  thou  lyvest.’ 

“  Now  sithen  he  deffendeth  3  that  man  shal 
nat  geven  to  his  broother,  ne  to  his  freend,  the 
[737°]  myght  of  his  body,  by  strenger  resoun  he 
deffendeth  and  forbedeth  a  man  to  geven  hym 
self  to  his  enemy.  And  nathelees  I  conseille 
you  that  ye  mystruste  nat  my  lord,  for  I  woot 
wel  and  knowe  verraily  that  he  is  debonaire4 
and  meeke,  large,5  curteys,  and  no  thyng  desir- 

1  Utterly.  2  Believe.  3  Forbiddeth.  4  Mild.  6  Generous. 


3 1 6  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

ous,  ne  coveitous  of  good  ne  richesse  ;  for  ther 
nys  no  thyng  in  this  world  that  he  desireth 
save  oonly  worshipe  and  honour.  Forther- 
moore  I  knowe  wel  and  am  right  seur  that  he 
shal  no  thyng  doon  in  this  nede  with-outen  my 
conseil,  and  I  shal  so  werken  in  this  cause 
that,  by  grace  of  oure  Lord  God,  ye  shul  been 
reconsiled  un-to  us.” 

Thanne  seyden  they  with  o  voys,  “  Worship¬ 
ful  lady,  we  putten  us  and  oure  goodes  al  fully 
in  youre  wil  and  disposicioun,  and  been  redy 
to  comen  what  day  that  it  like  un-to  youre  no¬ 
blesse  to  lymyte  us  or  assigne  us,  for  to  maken 
oure  obligacioun  and  boond  as  strong  as  it 
[7380]  liketh  un-to  youre  goodnesse,  that  we 
mowe  fulfille  the  wille  of  yow  and  of  my  lord 
Melibee.” 

Whan  dame  Prudence  hadde  herd  the  an- 
sweres  of  thise  men,  she  bad  hem  goon  agavn 
prively,  and  she  retourned  to  hir  lord  Melibee, 
and  tolde  hym  how  she  foond  hise  adversaries 
ful  repentant,  knowelechynge  ful  lowely  hir 
synnes  and  trespas,  and  how  they  were  redy  to 
suffren  all  peyne,  requirynge  and  preiynge  hym 
of  mercy  and  pitee. 

Thanne  seyde  Melibee,  “He  is  wel  worthy 
'to  have  pardoun  and  forgifnesse  of  his  synne 
that  excuseth  nat  his  synne,  but  knowelecheth 
it  and  repenteth  hym,  axinge  indulgence.  For 
Senec  seith,  ‘  Ther  is  the  remissioun  and  forgif- 


DAME  PRUDENCE  RIGHT  GLAD.  3 1 7 

nesse,  where  as  confessioun  is,  for  confessioun 
is  neighebore  to  innocence  ’  [and  he  saith  in 
another  place  that  he  that  hath  shame  of  his 
synne,  and  knowelecheth  it,  is  worthi  remys- 
sioun  2] ;  and  therfore  I  assente  and  conforme 
[7390]  me  to  have  pees ;  but  it  is  good  that  we 
do  it  nat  with-outen  the  assent  and  wyl  of  oure 
freendes.” 

Thanne  was  Prudence  right  glad  and  joyeful, 
and  seyde,  “  Certes,  sire,”  quod  she,  “ye  han 
wel  and  goodly  answered,  for  right  as  by  the 
conseil,  assent  and  helpe  of  youre  freendes,  ye 
han  been  stired  to  venge  yow  and  maken  werre, 
right  so  with-outen  hire  conseil  shul  ye  nat  ac- 
corden  yow,  ne  have  pees  with  youre  adversa¬ 
ries  ;  for  the  lawe  seith,  ‘  Ther  nys  no  thyng 
so  good  by  wey  of  kynde  2  as  a  thyng  to  been 
unbounde  by  hym  that  it  was  ybounde.’  ” 

And  thanne  dame  Prudence,  with-outen  de¬ 
lay  or  tariynge,  sente  anon  hire  messages  3  for 
hire  kyn  and  for  hire  olde  freendes,  whiche 
that  were  trewe  and  wyse,  and  tolde  hem  by 
ordre,  in  the  presence  of  Melibee,  al  this  ma- 
teere  as  it  is  aboven  expressed  and  declared, 
and  preyden  that  they  wolde  geven  hire  avys 
and  conseil  what  best  were  to  doon  in  this 
nede.  And  whan  Melibees  freendes  hadde 
taken  hire  avys  and  deliberacioun  of  the  for- 
[7400]  seide  mateere,  and  hadden  examyned 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Nature.  3  Messengers.  Cf.  1.  4566. 


3 1 8  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

it  by  greet  bisynesse  and  greet  diligence,  they 
gave  ful  conseil  for  to  have  pees  and  reste,  and 
that  Melibee  sholde  receyve  with  good  herte 
hise  adversaries  to  forgifnesse  and  mercy. 

And  whan  dame  Prudence  hadde  herd  the 
assent  of  hir  lord  Melibee,  and  the  conseil  of 
hise  freendes  accorde  with  hire  wide  and  hire 
entencioun,  she  was  wonderly  glad  in  hire  herte, 
and  seyde,  “  Ther  is  an  old  proverbe,”  quod 
she,  “  seith  that  the  goodnesse  that  thou  mayst 
do  this  day,  do  it,  and  abide  nat,  ne  delaye  it 
nat  til  to  morwe.  And  therfore  I  conseille 
that  ye  sende  youre  messages,  swiche  as  been 
discrete  and  wise,  un-to  youre  adversaries,  tell- 
[7410]  ynge  hem  on  youre  bihalve,  that  if  they 
wole  trete  of  pees  and  of  accord,  that  they 
shape  hem,1  with-outen  delay  or  tariyng,  to 
comen  un-to  us.”  Which  thyng  parfourned 
was  in  dede ;  and  whanne  thise  trespassours 
and  repentynge  folk  of  hire  folies,  —  that  is  to 
seyn,  the  adversaries  of  Melibee,  —  hadden  herd 
what  thise  messagers  seyden  un-to  hem,  they 
weren  right  glad  and  joyeful,  and  answereden 
ful  mekely  and  benignely,  yeldynge  graces  and 
thankynges  to  hir  lord  Melibee  and  to  al  his 
compaignye,  and  shopen  2  hem  with-outen  delay 
to,  go  with  the  messagers,  and  obeye  to  the 
comandement  of  hir  lord  Melibee. 

And  right  anon  they  tooken  hire  wey  to  the 

1  Prepare.  2  Prepared. 


THE  THREE  FOES  CONFESS.  3  1 9 

court  of  Melibee,  and  tooken  with  hem  somme 
of  hire  trewe  freendes  to  maken  feith  for  hem 
[7420]  and  for  to  been  hire  bonves,1  and  whan 
they  were  comen  to  the  presence  of  Melibee, 
he  seyde  hem  thise  wordes  :  “It  standeth  thus,” 
quod  Melibee,  “  and  sooth  it  is,  that  ye,  cause- 
lees  and  with-outen  skile 2  and  resoun,  han 
doon  grete  injuries  and  wronges  to  me  and  to 
my  wyf  Prudence,  and  to  my  doghter  also  ;  for 
ye  han  entred  in  to  myn  hous  by  violence,  and 
have  doon  swich  outrage  that  alle  men  knowen 
wel  that  ye  have  disserved  the  deeth,  and  ther- 
fore  wol  1  knowe  and  wite  of  yow  wheither  ye 
wol  putte  the  punyssement  and  the  chastis- 
ynge  and  the  vengeance  of  this  outrage  in  the 
wyl  of  me  and  of  my  wyf  Prudence,  or  ye  wol 
nat  ?  ” 

Thanne  the  wiseste  of  hem  thre  answerde 
for  hem  alle,  and  seyde,  “  Sire,”  quod  he,  “  we 
knowen  wel  that  we  been  unworthy  to  comen 
un-to  the  court  of  so  greet  a  lord,  and  so  wor- 
[7430]  thy  as  ye  been,  for  we  han  so  greedy 
mystaken  3  us,  and  han  offended  and  agilt 4  in 
swich  a  wise  agayn  youre  heigh  lordshipe  that 
trewely  we  han  disserved  the  deeth ;  but  yet 
for  the  grete  goodnesse  and  debonairetee  that 
al  the  world  witnessed!  in  youre  persone,  we 
submytten  us  to  the  excellence  and  benignitee 
of  youre  gracious  lordshipe,  and  been  redy  to 

1  Pledges.  2  Cause.  3  Erred.  4  Sinned. 


320  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

obeie  to  alle  youre  comandementz,  bisekynge 
yow  that  of  youre  merciable  pitee  ye  wol  con- 
sidere  oure  grete  repentaunce  and  lough  1  sub- 
myssioun,  and  graunten  us  forgevenesse  of  oure 
outrageous  trespas  and  offense ;  for  wel  we 
knowe  that  youre  liberal  grace  and  mercy 
strecchen  hem  ferther  in-to  goodnesse  than 
doon  oure  outrageouse  giltes  and  trespas  in-to 
wikkednesse  ;  al  be  it  that  cursedly  and  damp- 
nablely  we  han  agilt  agayn  youre  heigh  lord- 
shipe.” 

Thanne  Melibee  took  hem  up  fro  the  ground 
[7440]  ful  benignely,  and  receyved  hire  obliga- 
ciouns  and  hir  boondes  by  hire  othes  up-on 
hire  plegges  and  borwes,2  and  assigned  hem  a 
certeyn  day  to  retourne  un-to  his  court,  for  to  ac- 
cepte  and  receyve  the  sentence  and  juggement 
that  Melibee  wolde  comande  to  be  doon  on 
hem  by  the  causes  aforeseyd  ;  whiche  thynges 
ordeyned,  every  man  retourned  to  his  hous. 

And  whan  that  dame  Prudence  saugh  hir 
tyme,  she  freyned 3  and  axed  hir  lord  Melibee 
what  vengeance  he  thoughte  to  taken  of  hise 
adversaries. 

To  which  Melibee  answerde  and  seyde, 
“  Certes,”  quod  he,  “  I  thynke  and  purpose  me 
fully  to  desherite  hem  of  al  that  evere  they 
han,  and  for  to  putte  hem  in  exil  for  evere.” 

“Certes,”  quod  dame  Prudence,  “this  were 

1  Low.  2  Pledges  and  securities.  3  Questioned. 


DAME  PRUDENCE  ARGUES.  32  I 

a  crueel  sentence  and  muchel  agayn  resoun  ; 
for  ye  been  riche  ynough  and  han  no  nede  of 
[7450]  oother  mennes  good,  and  ye  myghte 
lightly  in  this  wise  gete  yow  a  coveitous  name, 
which  is  a  vicious  thyng  and  oghte  been  es- 
chued  of  every  good  man  •  for  after  the  sawe 
of  the  word  of  the  Apostle,  ‘  Coveitise  is  roote 
of  alle  harmes.’  And  therfore  it  were  bettre 
for  yow  to  lese  so  muchel  good  of  youre  owene 
than  for  to  taken  of  hir  good  in  this  manere  ; 
for  bettre  it  is  to  lesen  with  worshipe,1  than  it 
is  to  wynne  with  vileynye  and  shame ;  and 
everi  man  oghte  to  doon  his  diligence  and  his 
bisynesse  to  geten  hym  a  good  name.  And 
yet  shal  he  nat  oonly  bisie  hym  in  kepynge  of 
his  good  name,  but  he  shal  also  enforcen  hym 
alwey  to  do  som  thyng  by  which  he  may  re- 
novelle  2  his  good  name  ;  for  it  is  writen  ‘  that 
the  olde  good  loos  8  and  good  name  of  a  man 
is  soone  goon  and  passed  whan  it  is  nat  newecl 
ne  renovelled.’ 

“  And  as  touchynge  that  ye  seyn  ye  wole  ex- 
[7460]  ile  youre  adversaries,  that  thynketh  me 
muchel  agayn  resoun,  and  out  of  mesure,  consid¬ 
ered  the  power  that  they  han  geve  yow  up-on 
hem  self.  And  it  is  writen  that  he  is  worthy 
to  lesen  his  privilege  that  inysuseth  the  myght 
and  the  power  that  is  geven  hym.  And  I  sette 
cas,4  ye  myghte  enjoyne  hem  that  peyne  by 

1  Honor.  2  Renew.  3  Praise.  4  Put  the  case. 

VOL.  I. 


21 


322  chaucer’s  tale  of  melibeus. 

right  and  by  lawe,  which  I  trowe  ye  raowe  nat 
do.  I  seye  ye  mighte  nat  putten  it  to  execu- 
cioun  per-aventure,  and  thanne  were  it  likly  to 
retourne  to  the  werre  as  it  was  biforn  ;  and 
therfore  if  ye  wole  that  men  do  yow  obeisance, 
ye  moste  deemen  1  moore  curteisly,  this  is  to 
seyn,  ye  moste  geven  moore  esy  sentences  and 
juggementz-  For  it  is  writen  that  he  that 
moost  curteisly  comandeth,  to  hym  men  moost 
[7470]  obej^en.  And  therfore  I  prey  yow  that  in 
this  necessitee  and  in  this  nede  ye  caste  yow 2 
to  overcome  youre  herte.  For  Senec  seith  that 
he  that  overcometh  his  herte  overcometh  twies ; 
and  Tullius  seith,  ‘  Ther  is  no  thyng  so  com- 
endable  in  a  greet  lord  as  whan  he  is  debonaire 
and  meeke,  and  appeseth  lightly.’3  And  I  prey 
yow  that  ye  wole  forbere  now  to  do  vengeance 
in  swich  a  manere,  that  youre  goode  name  may 
be  kept  and  conserved,  and  that  men  mowe 
have  cause  and  mateere  to  preyse  yow  of  pitee 
and  of  mercy,  and  that  ye  have  no  cause  to  re- 
pente  yow  of  thyng  that  ye  doon ;  for  Senec 
seith,  ‘  He  overcometh  in  an  yvel  manere  that 
repenteth  hym  of  his  victorie.’  Wherfore,  I 
pray  yow,  lat  mercy  been  in  youre  mynde  and 
[7480]  in  youre  herte,  to  theffect  and  entente 
that  God  Almyghty  have  mercy  on  yow  in  his 
laste  juggement ;  for  Seint  Jame  seith  in  his 
Epistle,  ‘  Juggement  with-outen  mercy  shal  be 

1  Judge.  2  Endeavor.  3  Is  easily  pacified. 


THE  FOES  FORGIVEN.  323 

doon  to  hym  that  hath  no  mercy  of  another 
wight ! ’  ” 

Whanne  Melibee  hadde  herd  the  grete  skiles1 
and  resouns  of  dame  Prudence,  and  hire  wise 
informaciouns  and  techynges,  his  hertegan  en- 
clyne  to  the  wil  of  his  wif,  considerynge  hir 
trewe  entente,  and  conformed  hym  anon  and 
assented  fully  to  werken  after  hir  conseil,  and 
thonked  God,  of  whom  procedeth  al  vertu 2  and 
alle  goodnesse,  that  hym  sente  a  wyf  of  so 
greet  discrecioun. 

And  whan  the  day  cam  that  hise  adversaries 
sholde  appieren  in  his  presence,  he  spak  un-to 
hem  ful  goodly,  and  seyde  in  this  wyse  :  “  Al 
be  it  so  that  of  youre  pride  and  presumpcioun 
and  folie,  and  of  youre  necligence  and  un- 
konnynge,8  ye  have  mysborn  4  yow  and  tres- 
[7490]  Passed  un-to  me  ;  yet,  for  as  muche  as  I 
see  and  biholde  youre  grete  huinylitee,  and 
that  ye  been  sory  and  repentant  of  youre  giltes, 
it  constreyneth  me  to  doon  yow  grace  and 
mercy.  Therfore  I  receyve  yow  to  my  grace 
and  forgeve  yow  outrely  alle  the  offenses,  in¬ 
juries  and  wronges  that  ye  have  doon  agayn 
me  and  myne,  to  this  effect  and  to  this  ende, 
that  God  of  his  endelees  mercy  wole  at  the 
tyme  of  oure  diynge  forgeven  us  oure  giltes 
that  we  han  trespassed  to  hym  in  this  wrecched 
world  ;  for  doutelees  if  we  be  sory  and  repent- 

1  Arguments.  2  Power.  3  Ignorance.  4  Misconducted. 


324  WORDS  OF  THE  HOST  TO  THE  MONK. 

ant  of  the  synnes  and  giltes  whiche  we  han 
trespassed  in  the  sighte  of  oure  Lord  God,  he 
is  so  free  and  so  merciable  that  he  wole  for- 
[7S°°]  geven  us  oure  giltes,  and  bryngen  us  to 
his  blisse  that  nevere  hath  ende.”  A?nen. 

The  viurye  wordes  of  the  Hoost  to  the  Monk . 

Whan  ended  was  my  tale  of  Melibee, 

And  of  Prudence  and  hire  benignytee, 

Oure  Hoost  seyde,  “  As  I  am  feithful  man, 

And  by  that  precious  corpus  Madrian,1 
I  hadde  levere  than  a  barel  ale  (13,899  T.) 
That  good  lief,2  my  wyf,  hadde  herd  this  tale  ! 
For8  she  nys  no  thyng  of  swich  pacience 
As  was  this  Melibeus  wyf  Prudence. 

By  Goddes  bones  !  whan  I  bete  my  knaves, 

She  bryngeth  me  forth  the  grete  clobbed  staves 
And  crieth,  ‘  Slee  the  dogges  everichoon,  7511 
And  brek  hem,  bothe  bak  and  every  boon  !  ’ 

“  And  if  that  any  neighebore  of  myne 
Wol  nat  in  chirche  to  my  wyf  enclyne,4 
Or  be  so  hardy  to  hire  to  trespace, 

Whan  she  comth  home  she  rampeth5  in  my 
face, 

And  crieth,  ‘  False  coward  !  wrek 6  thy  wyf  ! 

By  corpus  bones  !  I  wol  have  thy  knyf,  . 

And  thou  shalt  have  my  distaf  and  go  spynne  !  ’ 


1  St.  Mathurin.  2  Love.  Corpus  MS.  has  “leef,”  and  Petworth 
“love.”  8  Notin  Elies.  MS.  4  Bow.  6  Rageth.  8  Avenge. 


“  MY  LORD  THE  MONK.”  325 

Fro  day  to  nyght,  right  thus  she  wol  bigynne, — 
‘  Allas  !  ’  she  seith,  *  that  evere  I  was  shape 
To  wedden  a  milksope  or  a  coward  ape  7522 
That  wol  been  overlad  1  with  every  wight ! 
Thou  darst  nat  stonden  by  thy  wyves  right !  ’ 

“  This  is  my  lif,  but  if  that  I  wol  fighte  ; 

And  out  at  dore  anon  I  moot  me  dighte, 

Or  elles  I  am  but  lost,  but  if  that  I 
Be  lik  a  wilde  leoun,  fool-hardy. 

I  woot  wel  she  wol  do 2  me  slee  som  day 
Som  neighebore,  and  thanne  go  my  way ;  7530 
For  I  am  perilous  with  knyf  in  honde ; 

A1  be  it  that  I  dar  hire  nat  withstonde, 

For  she  is  byg  in  armes,  by  my  feith, 

That  shal  he  fynde  that  hire  mysdooth  or 
seith. 

But  lat  us  passe  awey  fro  this  nrateere. 

“  My  lord  the  Monk,”  quod  he,  “  be  myrie  of 
cheere, 

For  ye  shul  telle  a  tale  trewely. 

Loo,  Rouechestre  3  stant  heer  faste  by  ! 

Ryde  forth,  myn  owene  lord,  brek  nat  oure 
game, 

But  bymytrouthe  I  knowe  nat  youre  name,4  — 
Wher 6  shal  I  calle  yow,  my  lord  daun  John,  7541 
Or  daun  Thomas,  or  elles  daun  Albon  ? 

Of  what  hous  be  ye,  by  youre  fader  kyn  ? 

I  vowe  to  God,  thou  hast  a  ful  fair  skyn  ! 


’Put  upon.  2  Cause.  3  The  MSS.  have  “  Rouchestre.”  The  read¬ 
ing  here  adopted  is  suggested  by  Skeat.  4  Cf.  1.  8404.  5  Whether. 


326  WORDS  OF  THE  HOST  TO  THE  MONK. 

It  is  a  gentil  pasture  ther  thow  goost ; 

Thou  art  nat  lyk  a  pen  ant,1  or  a  goost. 

Upon  my  feith,  thou  art  som  officer, 

Som  worthy  sexteyn,  or  som  celerer, 

For  by  my  fader  soule,  as  to  my  doom  2 
Thou  art  a  maister,  whan  thou  art  at  hoom  ; 

No  povre  cloystrer,  ne  no  novys,  755 1 

But  a  governour,  both  3  wily  and  wys, 

And  therwith-al  of  brawnes  and  of  bones, 

A  wel-farynge  persone,  for  the  nones. 

I  pray  to  God,  geve  hym  confusioun  (13,949  t.) 
That  first  thee  broghte  un-to  religioun.4 
Thou  woldest  han  been  a  tredefowel  aright, 
Haddestow  as  greet  a  leeve  as  thou  hast  myght ; 
To  parfourne  al  thy  lust  in  engendrure 
Thou  haddest  bigeten  ful  many  a  creature. 
Allas  !  why  werestow  so  wyd  a  cope  ?  7561 

God  geve  me  sorwe  !  but  and  I  were  a  pope, 
Nat  oonly  thou,  but  every  myghty  man, 

Though  he  were  shorn  ful  hye  upon  his  pan,5 
Sholde  have  a  wyf,  —  for  al  the  world  is  lorn  ; 
Religioun  hath  take  up  al  the  corn  (13,960  t.) 
Of  tredyng,  and  we  borel 6  men  been  shrympes  ;7 
Of  fieble  trees  ther  comen  wrecched  ympes.8 
This  maketh  that  oure  heires  beth  so  sklendre 
And  feble  that  they  may  nat  wel  engendre  ;9 
This  maketh  that  oure  wyves  wole  assaye  7571 
Religious  folk,  for  ye  rnowe  bettre  paye 

1  Penitent.  2  Judgment.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  A  religious 
order.  6  Head.  0  Laymen.  7  Dwarfs.  8  Scions.  8  Lines  7569. 
7570  are  not  in  Elies.  MS. 


THE  MONK  PATIENT.  327 

Of  Venus  paiementz  than  mowe  we.  (13,967  t.) 
God  woot,  no  Lussheburghes  1  payen  ye  ! 

But  be  nat  wrooth,  my  lord,  for  that  I  pleye, 
Ful  ofte,  *  in  game  a  sooth,’  I  have  herd  seye  !  ” 
This  worthy  Monk  took  al  in  pacience 
And  seyde,  “  I  wol  doon  al  my  diligence, 

As  fer  as  sowneth  in-to  honestee,2 

To  telle  yow  a  tale,  or  two,  or  three ;  758° 

And  if  yow  list  to  herkne  hyderward, 

I  wol  yow  seyn  the  lyf  of  Seint  Edward, 

Or  ellis,  first,  tragedies  wol  I  telle, 

Of  whiche  I  have  an  hundred  in  my  celle.8 

“  Tragedie  4  is  to  seyn  a  certeyn  storie, 

As  olde  bookes  maken  us  memorie, 

Of  hym  that  stood  in  greet  prosperitee 
And  is  yfallen  out  of  heigh  degree 
In  to  myserie,  and  endeth  wrecchedly  ; 

And  they  ben  versified  communely  759° 

Of  six  feet,  which  men  clepen  exametron. 

In  prose  eek  been  endited  many  oon, 

And  eek  in  meetre  in  many  a  sondry  wyse ; 

Lo,  this  declaryng  oghte  ynogh  suffise. 

Now  herkneth,  if  yow  liketh  for  to  heere  ; 

But  first,  I  yow  biseeke  in  this  mateere, 
Though  I  by  ordre  telle  nat  thise  thynges 
Be  it  of  popes,  emperours,  or  kynges, 

After  hir  ages  as  men  writen  fynde, 

But  tellen  hem,  som  bifore  and  som  bihynde, 

1  Base  coins.  Elies.  MS.  has  “  lussheburgh.”  "  Consists  with 
propriety.  3  Religious  house.  Or,  probably,  “  celle  fantastik.”  Cf. 
1.  1376.  4  Cf.  1.  8373,  and  Boethius,  bk.  ii.,  pr.  2. 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


328 

As  it  now  comth  un-to  my  remembraunce,  7601 
Have  me  excused  of  min  ignoraunce.” 


Heere  bigynneth  The  Monkes  Tale,  de  Casibus 
Virorum  Illustriam } 

I  wol  biwaille,  in  manere  of  tragedie, 

The  harm  2  of  hem  that  stoode  in  heigh  de¬ 
gree,  (13, 998  t.) 

And  Alien  so  that  ther  nas  no  remedie 
To  brynge  hem  out  of  hir  adversitee  ; 

For  certein,  whan  that  Fortune  list  to  flee, 
Ther  may  no  man  the  cours  of  hire  withholde. 
Lat  no  man  truste  on  blynd  prosperitee  ;  7609 
Be  war  by  3  thise  ensamples  trewe  and  olde. 

At  Lucifer,  —  though  he  an  angel  were, 
And  nat  a  man,  — at  hym  wol  I  bigynne, 

For  though  Fortune  may  noon  angel  dere,4 
From  heigh  degree  yet  fel  he  for  his  synne 
Doun  in-to  helle,  where  he  yet  is  inne. 

O  Lucifer  !  brightest  of  angels  alle, 

Now  artow  Sathanas  that  mayst  nat  twynne  5 
Out  of  miserie  in  which  that  thou  art  falle. 

Loo  Adam,  in  the  feeld  of  Damyssene, 

With  Goddes  owene  fynger  wroght  was  he,  7620 
And  nat  bigeten  of  mannes  sperme  unclene, 

1  De  Casibus  Virorum  Illustrium  is  the  title  of  one  of  the  works 
of  Boccaccio,  which  began  with  Adam  and  ended  with  King  John  of 
France,  who  was  captured  by  the  English  in  1356.  It  was  trans¬ 
lated  into  Italian,  Spanish,  French,  and  English.  The  Monk’s  in¬ 
stances  are  compiled  from  that  and  various  other  sources.  2  Dis¬ 
aster.  8  Elies.  MS.  has  “  of.”  4  Harm.  6  Separate,  depart. 


ILLUSTRIOUS  RUIN. 


329 


And  welte  1  all  paradys  savynge  o  tree. 

Hadde  nevere  worldly  man  so  heigh  degree 
As  Adam,  til  he  for  mysgovernaunce 
Was  dryven  out  of  hys  hye  prosperitee 
To  labour,  and  to  helle,  and  to  meschaunce. 

Loo  Sampson,  which  that  was  annunciat 
By  angel,  longe  er  his  nativitee, 

And  was  to  God  Almyghty  consecrat, 

And  stood  in  noblesse  whil  he  myghte  see. 

Was  nevere  swich  another  as  was  hee,  7631 
To  speke  of  strengthe,  and  ther-with  hardy- 
nesse  ; 

But  to  hise  wyves  toolde  he  his  secree, 

Thurgh  which  he  slow  hym  self  for  wrecched- 
nesse. 

Sampson,  this  noble  almyghty  champioun, 
With-outen  wepene  save  his  handes  tweye, 

He  slow  and  al  to-rente  2  the  leoun, 

Toward  his  weddyng  walkynge  by  the  weye. 
His  false  wyf  koude  hym  so  plese  and  preye 
Til  she  his  conseil  knew  ;  and  sheuntrewe  7640 
Un-to  hise  foos  his  conseil  gan  biwreye, 

And  hym  forsook,  and  took  another  newe. 

Thre  hundred  foxes  took  Sampson  for  ire, 

And  alle  hir  tayles  he  togydre  bond, 

And  sette  the  foxes  tayles  alle  on  fire, 

For  he  on  every  tayl  had  knyt  a  brond  ; 

And  they  brende  8  alle  the  cornes  in  that  lond, 
And  alle  hire  olyveres,  and  vynes  eke.  7648 

1  Ruled  (wielded).  2  Completely  rent.  3  Burned. 


330 


THE  MONK  S  TALE. 


A  thousand  men  he  slow  eek  with  his  hond, 
And  hadde  no  wepene  but  an  asses  cheke. 
Whan  they  were  slayn  so  thursted  hym  that  he 
Was  wel  ny  lorn,  for  which  he  gan  to  preye 
That  God  wolde  on  his  peyne  han  som  pitee, 
And  sende  hym  drynke,  orelles  moste  he  deye  ; 
And  of  this  asses  cheke,  that  was  dreye, 

Out  of  a  wang-tooth  1  sprang  anon  a  welle, 

Of  which  he  drank  ynow,2  shortly  to  seye ; 

Thus  heelpe  hym  God,  as  Judicum  3  can  telle. 
By  verray  force  at  Gazan,  on  a  nyght, 

Maugree  Philistiens  of  that  citee,  (14,054  T.) 
The  gates  of  the  toun  he  hath  up-plyght,  7661 
And  on  his  bak  ycaryed  hem  hath  hee 
Hye  on  an  hille,  that  men  myghte  hem  see. 

O  noble,  almyghty  Sampson,  lief  and  deere, 
Had  thou  nat  toold  to  wommen  thy  secree, 

In  all  this  world  ne  hadde  been  thy  peere  ! 
This  Sampson  nevere  ciser4  drank,  ne  wyn, 

Ne  on  his  heed  cam  rasour  noon,  ne  sheere, 

By  precept  of  the  messager  divyn  ; 

For  alle  hise  strengthes  in  hise  heeres  weere  ; 
And  fully  twenty  wynter,  yeer  by  yeere,  7671 
He  hadde  of  Israel  the  governaunce  ; 

But  soone  shal  he  wepe  many  a  teere, 

For  wommen  shal  hym  bryngen  to  meschaunce. 

Un-to  his  lemman  5  Dalida  he  tolde 
That  in  hise  heeris  al  his  strengthe  lay, 

1  Jaw-tooth.  2  Enough.  Elies.  MS.  has  “  anon.”  3  The  book 
of  Judges.  *  Strong  drink  (Lat.  sicera).  5  Sweetheart. 


“lo,  sampson!” 


33i 


And  falsly  to  hise  foomen  she  hym  solde  ; 

And  slepynge  in  hir  barm  1  up-on  a  day  7678 
She  made  to  cli£>pe  or  shere  hise  heres  away, 
And  made  hise  foomen  al  his  craft  espyen  ; 
And  whan  that  they  hym  foond  in  this  array, 
They  bounde  hym  faste  and  putten  out  hise 
eyen. 

But  er  his  heer  were  clipped  or  yshave, 

Ther  was  no  boond  with  which  men  myghte 
him  bynde  ; 

But  now  is  he  in  prison  in  a  cave,2 
Where  as  they  made  hym  at  the  queerne 3 
grynde. 

O  noble  Sampson,  strongest  of  mankynde  ! 

O  whilom  juge,  in  glorie  and  in  richesse  !  7688 
Now  maystow  wepen  with  thyne  eyen  blynde, 
Sith  thou  fro  wele  art  falle  in  wrecchednesse. 

The  ende  of  this  caytyf  was  as  I  shal  seye  ; 
Hise  foomen  made  a  feeste  up-on  a  day, 

And  made  hym  as  a  fool  biforn  hem  pleye  ; 
And  this  was  in  a  temple  of  greet  array; 

But  atte  laste  he  made  a  foul  affray ; 4 
For  he  the  pilers  shook  and  made  hem  falle, 
And  doun  fil  temple  and  al,  and  ther  it  lay  ; 
And  slow  hym  self,  and  eek  his  foomen  alle  : 
This  is  to  seyn,  the  prynces  everichoon  ; 

And  eek  thre  thousand  bodyes  were  ther  slayn 
With  fallynge  of  the  grete  temple  of  stoon. 

Of  Sampson  now  wol  I  na  moore  sayn  ;  7702 

1  Lap.  2  Cellar,  vault.  3  Mill.  4  Terror. 


332 


THE  MONKS  TALE. 


Beth  war  by  this  ensample  oold  and  playn 
That  no  men  telle  hir  conseil  til  hir  wyves 
Of  swich  thyng  as  they  wolde  ban  secree  fayn, 
If  that  it  touche  hir  lymes  or  hir  lyves.  (14,100  T.) 

Off  Hercules,  the  sovereyn  conquerour, 
Syngen  hise  werkes,  laude,  and  heigh  renoun  ; 
For  in  his  tyme  of  strengthe  he  was  the  flour. 
He  slow,  and  rafte  the  skyn  of  the  leoun  ;  771c 
He  of  Centauros  leyde  the  boost 1  adoun  ; 

He  Arpies  slow,  the  crueel  bryddes  felle  ; 

He  golden  apples  refte  of  the  dragoun  ; 

He  drow  out  Cerberus,  the  hound  of  helle ; 

He  slow  the  crueel  tyrant  Busirus, 

And  made  his  hors  to  frete  2  hym  flessh  and 
boon  ; 

He  slow  the  firy  serpent 3  venymus  ; 

Of  Acheloys  homes  two  he  brak  oon  ; 

And  he  slow  Cacus  in  a  cave  of  stoon  ; 

He  slow  the  geant  Antheus  the  stronge  ;  7720 
He  slow  the  grisly  boor,  and  that  anon  ; 

And  bar  the  hevene  on  his  nekke  longe.4 
Was  nevere  wight  sith  that  this  world  bigan, 
That  slow  so  manye  monstres  as  dide  he  ; 
Thurgh-out  this  wyde  world  his  name  ran,  — 
What  for  his  strengthe  and  for  his  heigh  boun- 
tee,6  — 

And  every  reawme  6  wente  he  for  to  see. 

He  was  so  stroong  that  no  man  myghte  hym 
lette  ; 

1  Boast.  2  Eat.  3  The  Hydra.  4  Long  time.  6  Great  goodness 
6  Kingdom. 


THUS  DIED  MIGHTY  HERCULES.  333 

At  bothe  the  worldes  endes,  seith  Trophee,1 
In  stide  of  boundes  he  a  pileer  2  sette.  773 o 
A  lemman  hadde  this  noble  champioun 
That  highte  Dianira,  fressh  as  May  ; 

And  as  thise  clerkes  maken  mentioun, 

She  hath  hym  sent  a  sherte,  fressh  and  gay. 
Allas,  this  sherte  —  alias,  and  weylaway!  — 
Evenymed  was  so  subtilly  with-alle, 

That  er  that  he  had  wered  it  half  a  day, 

It  made  his  flessh  al  from  hise  bones  falle  ; 

But  nathelees  somme  clerkes  hire  excusen 
By  oon  that  highte  Nessus,  that  it  maked.  7740 
Be  as  be  may,  I  wol  hire  noght  accusen ; 

But  on  his  bak  this  sherte  he  wered  al  naked 
Til  that  his  flessh  was  for  the  venym  blaked  ; 
And  whan  he  saugh  noon  oother  remedye, 

In  hoote  coles  he  hath  hym-selven  raked ; 

For  with  no  venym  deigned  hym  to  dye. 

Thus  starf  this  worthy,  myghty  Hercules. 

Lo  !  who  may  truste  on  Fortune  any  throwe  ? 8 
For  hym  that  folweth  al  this  world  of  prees,4 
Er  he  be  war,  is  ofte  yleyd  ful  lowe.  775° 
Ful  wys  is  he  that  kan  hym  selven  knowe  ! 

Beth  war,  for  whan  that  Fortune  list  to  glose,6 
Thanne  wayteth  she  her  man  to  overthrowe 
By  swich  a  wey  as  he  wolde  leest  suppose. . 

The  myghty  trone,  the  precious  tresor, 

The  glorious  ceptre,  and  roial  magestee 

1  An  unknown  author.  2  The  Pillars  of  Hercules,  at  Gibraltar. 
8  While.  4  Crowd.  5  Flatter. 


334 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


That  hackle  the  kyng  Nabugodonosor, 

With  tonge  unnethe  1  may  discryved  bee. 

He  twyes  wan  Jerusalem  the  citee  ;  (14,153  t.) 
The  vessel 2  of  the  temple  he  with  hym  ladde.8 
At  Babiloigne  was  his  sovereyn  see,4  7761 
In  which  his  glorie  and  his  debt  he  hadde. 

The  faireste  children  of  the  blood  roial 
Of  Israel  he  leet  do  gelde  anoon, 

And  maked  ech  of  hem  to  been  his  thral. 
Amonges  othere  Daniel  was  oon, 

That  was  the  wiseste  child  of  everychon, 

For  he  the  dremes  of  the  kyng  expowned, 
Where  as  in  Chaldeye  clerk  ne  was  ther  noon, 
That  wiste  to  what  fyn 5  hise  dremes  sowned.6 
This  proude  kyng  leet  maken  a  statue  of  gold, 
Sixty  cubites  long  and  sevene  in  brede,  7772 
The  which  ymage,  bothe 7  yonge  and  oold 
Comandecl  be 8  to  loute,9  and  have  in  drede, 

Or  in  a  fourneys  ful  of  flambes  rede 
He  shal  be  brent  that  wolde  noght  obeye  ; 

But  nevere  wolde  assente  to  that  decle 
Daniel,  ne  hise  yonge  felawes  tweye. 

This  kyng  of  kynges  proud  was  and  elaat ; 

He  wende  that  God  that  sit  in  magestee  7780 
Ne  myghte  hym  nat  bireve  of  his  estaat ; 

But  sodeynly  he  loste  his  dignytee 
And  lyk  a  beest  hym  semed  for  to  bee  ; 

And  eet  hey  as  an  oxe,  and  lay  ther-oute 

1  Scarcely.  2  Plate.  3  Carried.  4  Seat.  8  End.  8  Tended. 
7  Elies.  MS.  has  “he  bothe.”  8  Notin  Elies.  MS.  9  Bow. 


MANE,  TECHEL,  PHARES.” 


335 


In  reyn  ;  with  wilde  beestes  walked  hee 
Til  certein  tyme  was  ycome  aboute  ; 

And  lik  an  egles  fetheres  wex  his  heres  ; 1 
Hise  nayles  lik  a  briddes  clawes  weere  ; 

Til  God  relessed  hym  a  certeyn  yeres, 

And  gaf  hym  wit,  and  thanne  with  many  a 
teere  7  790 

He  thanked  God,  and  evere  his  lyf  in  feere 
Was  he  to  doon  amys,  or  moore  trespace  ; 

And,  til  that  tyme  he  leyd  was  on  his  beere, 

He  knew  that  God  was  ful  of  myght  and  grace. 

His  sone,  which  that  highte  Balthasar, 

That  heeld  the  regne  after  his  fader  day, 

He  by  his  fader  koude  noght  be  war ; 2 
For  proud  he  was  of  herte  and  of  array, 

And  eek  an  ydolastre  he  was  ay. 

His  hye  estaat  assured  hym  in  pryde  ;  7800 

But  Fortune  caste  hyme  doun  and  ther  he  lay, 
And  socleynly  his  regne  gan  divide. 

A  feeste  he  made  un-to  hise  lordes  alle, 

Upon  a  tyme,  and  bad  hem  blithe  bee  ; 

And  thanne  hise  officeres  gan  he  calle,  — 

“  Gooth,  bryngeth  forth  the  vessels,”  tho  3  quod 
he,  (14,200  t.) 

“  Whiche  that  my  fader  in  his  prosperitee 
Out  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  birafte, 

And  to  our  hye  goddes  thanke  we 

Of  honour  that  our£  eldres  with  us  lafte.”  7810 

Hys  wyf,  hise  lordes,  and  hise  concubynes 

1  Hairs.  2  Ware.  3  Then;  notin  MSS. 


336  THE  MONK’S  TALE. 

Ay  dronken,  whil  hire  appetites  laste, 

Out  of  thise  noble  vessels  sondry  wynes  ; 

And  on  a  wal  this  kyng  hise  eyen  caste, 

And  saugh  an  hand  armlees  that  wroot  ful  fast ; 
For  feere  of  which  he  quook,  and  siked  1  soore. 
This  hand,  that  Balthasar  so  soore  agaste, 
Wroot  Mane ,  techel,  phares ,  and  na  moore. 

In  al  that  land  magicien  was  noon 
That  koude  expounde  what  this  lettre  mente  ; 
But  Daniel  expowned  it  anon,  7821 

And  seyde,  “  King,  God  to  thy  fader  sente 
Glorie  and  honour,  regne,  tresour,  rente, 

And  he  was  proud,  and  no-thyng  God  ne  dradde, 
And  therfore  God  greet  wreche 2  up-on  hym 
sente, 

And  hym  birafte  the  regne  that  he  hadde  ; 

He  was  out-cast  of  mannes  compaignye  ; 

With  asses  was  his  habitacioun, 

And  eet  hey  as  a  beest  in  weet  and  drye, 

Til  that  he  knew,  by  grace  and  by  resoun,  7830 
That  God  of  hevene  hath  domynacioun 
Over  every  regne  and  every  creature  ; 

And  thanne  hadde  God  of  hym  compassioun, 
And  hym  restored  his  regne  and  his  figure. 

Eek  thou  that  art  his  sone  art  proud  also, 

And  knowest  alle  thise  thynges  verraily, 

And  art  rebel  to  God  and  art  his  foo  ; 

Thou  drank  eek  of  hise  vessels  boldely ; 

Thy  wyf  eek,  and  thy  wenches,  synfully 

1  Sighed.  2  Vengeance. 


.  ZENOBIA  OF  PALMYRA.  337 

Dronke  of  the  same  vessels  sondry  wynys,  7840 
And  heryest 1  false  goddes  cursedly ; 

Therfore  to  thee  yshapeti 2  ful  greet  pyne  3  ys. 
This  hand  was  sent  from  God,  that  on  the  wal 
Wroot,  ‘  Mane ,  techel,  phares truste  me,  — 

Thy  regne  is  doon,  thou  weyest  noght  at  al, 
Dyvyded  is  thy  regne,  and  it  shal  be 
To  Medes  and  to  Perses  geve,”  quod  he. 

And  thilke  same  nyght  this  kyng  was  slawe, 
And  Darius  occupieth  his  degree,  7849 

Thogh  he  therto  hadde  neither  right  ne  lawe. 

Lordynges,  ensample  heer-by  may  ye  take, 
How  that  in  lordshipe  is  no  sikernesse ; 4 
For  whan  Fortune  wole  a  man  forsake, 

She  bereth  awey  his  regne  and  his  richesse, 
And  eek  his  freendes,  bothe  moore  and  lesse  ; 
For  what  man  that  hath  freendes  thurgh  For¬ 
tune  .  (14,250  T.) 

Mishape  wol  maken  hem  enemys,  as  I  gesse ; 
This  proverbe  is  ful  sooth  and  ful  commune. 

Cenobia,  of  Palymerie  queene,5  — 

As  writen  Persiens  of  hir  noblesse, —  7860 

So  worthy  was  in  armes,  and  so  keene, 

That  no  wight  passed  hire  in  hardynesse, 

Ne  in  lynage,  nor  in  oother  gentillesse. 

Of  kynges  blood  of  Perce  6  is  she  descended  ; 

I  seye  nat  that  she  hadde  moost  fairnesse, 

But  of  hire  shape  she  myghte  nat  been  amended. 

1  Praisest.  2  Ordained.  3  Pain.  4  Surety.  5  This  story  is 
mainly  from  Boccaccio’s  De  Claris  Mulieribus.  6  Persia. 

VOL.  I.  22 


338  THE  monk’s  tale.  • 

From  hire  childhede  I  fynde  that  she  fledde  1 
Office  of  wommen,  and  to  wode  she  went, 

And  many  a  wilde  hertes  blood  she  shedde 
With  arwes  brode  that  she  to  hem  sente ;  7870 
She  was  so  swift  that  she  anon  hem  hente,2 
And  whan  that  she  was  elder  she  wolde  kille 
Leouns,  leopardes,  and  beres  al  to-rente, 

And  in  hir  armes  weelde  hem  at  hir  wille. 

She  dorste  wilde  beestes  dennes  seke, 

And  rennen 3  in  the  montaignes  al  the  nyght, 
And  slepen  under  the  bussh;  and  she  koude 
eke 

Wrastlen,  by  verray  force  and  verray  myght, 
With  any  yong  man,  were  he  never  so  wight.4 
Ther  myghte  no  thyng  in  hir  armes  stonde.  7880 
She  kepte  hir  maydenhod  from  every  wight ; 
To  no  man  deigned  hire  for  to  be  bonde  ; 

But  atte  laste  hir  freendes  han  hire  maried 
To  Onedake,6  a  prynce  of  that  contree  ; 

Al  were  it  so  that  she  hem  longe  taried. 

And  ye  shul  understonde  how  that  he 
Hadde  swiche  fantasies  as  hadde  she  ; 

But  nathelees,  whan  they  were  knyt  infeere,6 
They  lyved  in  joye  and  in  felicitee,  7889 

For  ech  of  hem  hadde  oother  lief  and  deere, 
Save  o  thyng,  that  she  wolde  nevere  assente 
By  no  wey  that  he  sholde  by  hire  lye 
But  ones,  for  it  was  hir  pleyn  entente 

1  Eschewed.  2  Caught.  8  Run.  4  Active.  5  Odenathus.  6  In 
company. 


ZENOBIA  OF  PALM.YRA.  339 

To  have  a  child  the  world  to  multiplye ; 

And  also  soone  as  that  she  myghte  espye 
That  she  was  nat  with  childe  with  that  dede, 
Thannewolde  she  suffre  hym  doon  his  fantasye 
Eft  soone,  and  nat  but  oones,  out  of  drede ; 1 
And  if  she  were  with  childe  at  thilke  cast, 

Na  moore  sholde  he  pleyen  thilke  game,  7900 
Til  fully  fourty  dayes  weren  past ; 

Thanne  wolde  she  ones  suffre  hym  do  the  same. 
A1  were  this  Onedake  wilde  or  tame 
He  gat  na  moore  of  hire,  for  thus  she  seyde, 

It  was  to  wyves  lecherie  and  shame, 

In  oother  caas,  if  that  men  with  hem  pleyde. 
Two  sones  by  Onedake  hadde  she,  (14,301  t.) 
The  whiche  she  kepte  in  vertu  and  lettrure  ; 2 
But  now  un-to  our  tale  turne  we. 

I  seye  so  worshipful  a  creature,  7910 

And  wys  ther-with,  and  large  3  with  mesure, 

So  penyble  in  the  werre,  and  curteis  eke, 

Ne  moore  labour  myghte  in  werre  endure 
Was  noon,  though  al  this  world  men  sholde  4 
seke. 

Hir  riche  array  ne  myghte  nat  be  told, 

As  wel  in  vessel 5  as  in  hire  clothyng. 

She  was  al  clad  in  perree  6  and  in  gold, 

And  eek  she  lafte  7  noght,  for  noon  huntyng, 

To  have  of  sondry  tonges  ful  knowyng, 

Whan  that  she  leyser  hadde ;  and  for  to  entende  8 

1  Depend  upon  it.  2  Letters.  8  Generous.  4  Elies.  MS.  has 
“  wolde.”  5  Plate.  6  Jewels.  7  Omitted.  8  Apply  herself. 


340 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


To  lerne  bookes  was  al  hire  likyng,  792r 

How  she  in  vertu  myghte  hir  lyf  dispende. 

And,  shortly  of  this  proces  1  for  to  trete, 

So  doghty  was  hir  housbonde  and  eek  she, 

That  they  conquered  manye  regnes  grete 
In  the  Orient,  with  many  a  faire  citee 
Apertenaunt  un-to  the  magestee 
Of  Rome,  and  with  strong  hond  held  hem  ful 
faste, 

Ne  nevere  myghte  hir  foo-men  doon  2  hem  flee, 
Ay,  whil  that  Onedakes  dayes  laste.  793° 
Hir  batailles,  who  so  list  hem  for  to  rede,  — 
Agayn  Sapor  the  kyng  and  othere  mo, 

And  how  that 3  al  this  proces  fil  4  in  dede, 

Why  she  conquered,  and  what  title  had  5  therto, 
And  after  of  hir  meschief  and  hire  wo, 

How  that  she  was  biseged  and  ytake,  — 

Lat  hym  un-to  my  maister  Petrak  go, 

That  writ  ynough  of  this,  I  undertake. 

Whan  Onedake  was  deed  she  myghtily 
The  regnes  6  heeld,  and  with  hire  propre 7  hond 
Agayn  hir  foos  she  faught  so  cruelly  7941 
That  ther  nas  kyng,  ne  prynce,  in  al  that  lond 
That  he  nas  glad  if  he  that  grace  fond, 

That  she  ne  wolde  up-on  his  lond  werreye.8 
With  hire  they  maden  alliance  by  bond 
To  been  in  pees,  and  lete  hire  ride  and  pleye. 
The  emperour  of  Rome,  Claudius, 

1  Story.  2  Make.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Fell  out.  5  Not  in 
Elies.  MS.  6  Kingdoms.  7  Own.  8  Make  war. 


34i 


“SHE  MYGHTILY  THE  REGNES  HEELD.” 

Ne  hym  bifore,  the  Rornayn  Galien, 

Ne  dorste  nevere  been  so  corageous 
Ne  noon  Ermyn,1  ne  noon  Egipcien,  7950 
Ne  Surrien,  ne  noon  Arabyen, 

With-inne  the  feelde  that  dorste  with  hire  fighte 
Lest  that  she  wolde  hem  with  hir  handes  slen,2 
Or  with  hir  meignee 3  putten  hem  to  flighte. 

In  kynges  habit  wente  hir  sones  two, 

As  heires  of  hir  fadres  regnes  alle,  (14,350  t.) 

And  Hermanno  and  Thymalao 

Hir  names  were,  as  Persiens  hem  calle  ; 

But  ay  Fortune  hath  in  hire  hony  galle  : 

This  myghty  queene  may  no  while  endure. 
Fortune  out  of  hir  regne  made  hire  falle  7961 
To  wrecchednesse  and  to  mysaventure. 
Aurelian,  whan  that  the  governaunce 
Of  Rome  cam  in-to  hise  handes  tweye, 

He  shoope  up-on  this  queene  to  doon  venge- 
aunce  ; 

And  with  hise  legions  he  took  his  weye 
Toward  Cenobie,  and,  shortly  for  to  seye, 

He  made  hire  flee  and  atte  last  hire  hente,4 
And  fettred  hire,  and  eek  hire  children  tweye, 
And  wan  the  land,  and  hoom  to  Rome  he 
wente.  797° 

Amonges  othere  thynges  that  he  wan 
Hirchaar,  that  was  with  gold  wroght  andperree,5 
This  grete  Romayn,  this  Aurelian, 

Hath  with  hym  lad,  foi;  that  men  sholde  it  see. 


1  Armenian,  2  Slay.  3  Retainers.  4  Seized.  6  Precious  stones. 


342 


THE  MONKS  TALE. 


Biforen  his  triumphe  walketh  shee 

With  gilte  1  cheynes  on  hire  nekke  hangynge. 

Coroned  2  was  she  after  hir  degree, 

And  ful  of  perree  charged  3  hire  clothynge. 
Allas,  Fortune  !  she  that  whilom  was  (14,373  t.) 
Dredeful  to  kynges  and  to  emperoures,  7980 
Now  gaureth  4  al  the  peple  on  hire,  alias  ! 

And  she  that  helmed  was  in  starke  stoures,5 
And  wan  by  force  townes  stronge,  and  toures, 
Shal  on  hir  heed  now  were  a  vitremyte ; 6 
And  she  that  bar  the  ceptre  ful  of  floures 
Shal  bere  a  distaf  hire  costes  for  to  quyte.7 

O  noble,  o  worthy  Petro,8  glorie  of  Spayne, 
Whom  Fortune  heeld  so  hye  in  magestee,  7988 
Wei  oghten  men  thy  pitous  deeth  complayne  ! 
Out  of  thy  land  thy  brother  made  thee  flee, 
And  after,  at  a  seege,  by  subtiltee,  (14,689  t.) 
Thou  were  bitraysed  and  lad  un-to  his  tente, 
Where  as  he  with  his  owene  hand  slow  thee, 
Succedynge  in  thy  regne  and  in  thy  rente. 

The  feeld  of  snow  with  thegle 9  of  blak  therinne 
Caught  him 10  with  the  lymerod  coloured  as  the 
gleede,11 

Fie  brew  this  cursednesse  and  al  this  synne. 
The  “  wikked-nest  ”  12  was  werker  of  this  nede, 


1  Gilded.  2  Crowned.  3  Loaded.  4  Gaze.  6  Stout  contests. 
13  Wear  a  glass  hood,  t'.e.t  be  deluded.  Cf.  11.  3389,  6052  ;  also,  Troy- 
lus  and  Cryseyde,  ii.  867.  Suggested  by  Skeat.  7  To  make  a  liv¬ 
ing.  8  Peter  the  Cruel  was  the  father  of  Constance,  who  became 
the  wife  of  John  of  Gaunt.  »  The  eagle.  30  Not  in  Elies.  MS, 
11  These  two  lines  describe  the  arms  of  Bertrand  du  Guesclin.  Lyme¬ 
rod,  lime  twig ;  gleede,  live  coal.  42  Old  Fr.  man,  bad,  nt,  nest ; 
Oliver  de  Mauny. 


’A  NEW  GENELON. 


343 


Noght  Charles-Olyvver,1  that  took  ay  heede 
Of  trouthe  and  honour,  but  of  Armorike  8000 
Genylon-Olyver,2  corrupt  for  meede,  (14,699  t.) 
Broghte  this  worthy  kyng  in  swiche  a  brike.3 

O  worthy  Petro,  kyng  of  Cipre  4  also, 

That  Alisandre  wan  by  heigh  maistrie, 

Ful  many  an  hethen  wroghtestow  ful  wo, 

Of  which  thyne  owene  liges  hadde  envie, 

And  for  no  thyng  but  for  thy  chivalrie 
They  in  thy  bed  han  slayn  thee  by  the  morwe. 
Thus  kan  Fortune  hir  wheel  go verne  and  gye,5 
And  out  of  joye  brynge  men  to  sorwe.  8010 
Of  Melan,  grete  Barnabo  Viscounte, 

God  of  debt,  and  scourge  of  Lumbardye, 

Why  sholde  I  nat  thyn  infortune  acounte, 

Sith  in  estaat  thow  cloumbe  were  so  hye  ? 

Thy  brother  sone,  that  ivas  thy  double  allye, 
For  he  thy  nevew  was,  and  sone-in-lawe, 
With-inne  his  prisoun  made  thee  to  dye,  — 

But  why,  ne  how,  noot 6  I  that  thou  were  slawei7 
Of  the  erl  Hugelyn  of  Pyze  the  langour 
Ther  may  no  tonge  telle  for  pitee  ;  8020 

But  litel  out  of  Pize  stant  a  tour, 

In  whiche  tour  in  prisoun  put  was  he, 

And  with  hym  been  hise  litel  children  thre ; 
The  eldeste  scarsly  fyf  yeer  was  of  age. 

Allas,  Fortune  !  it  was  greet  crueltee 


1  Charlemagne’s  Oliver.  2  Oliver,  like  Genelon.  Cf.  1.  5806. 
3  Breach.  4  Pierre  de  Lusignan.  Cf.  1.  51.  8  Guide.  8  Know  I 

not.  7  This  occurred  in  1385,  and  is  the  latest  event  mentioned 
incidentally  in  the  Canterbury  Tales. 


344 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


Swiche  bridcles  for  to  putte  in  swiche  a  cage  ! 
Dampned  was  be  to  dyen  in  that  prisoun, 

For  Roger,  which  that  bisshope  was  of  Pize, 
Hadde  on  hym  maad  a  fals  suggestioun  1 
Thurgh  which  the  peple  gan  upon  hym  rise 
And  putten  hym  to  prisoun  in  swich  wise  803 1 
As  ye  han  herd,  and  mete  and  drynke  he  hadde 
So  smal,  that  wel 2  unnethe8  it  may  suffise, 

And  therwith-al  it  was  ful  povre  and  badde. 

And  on  a  day  bifil  that  in  that  hour 
Whan  that  his  mete  wont  was  to  be  broght, 

The  gayler  shette  the  dores  of  the  tour. 

He  herde  it  wel,  but  he  ne 4  spak  right  noght, 
And  in  his  herte  anon  ther  fil  a  thoght .  8039 

That  they  for  hunger  wolde  doon  hym  dyen. 

“  Allas  !  ”  quod  he,  “  alias,  that  I  was  wroght !  ” 
Ther-with  the  teeris  fillen  from  hise  eyen. 

His  yonge  sone,  that  thre  yeer  was  of  age, 
Un-to  hym  seyde,  “  Fader,  why  do  ye  wepe  ? 
Whanne  wol  the  gayler  bryngen  oure  potage ; 
Is  ther  no  morsel  breed  that  ye  do  kepe  ? 

I  am  so  hungry  that  I  may  nat  slepe  ; 

Now  wolde  God  that  I  rnyghte  slepen  evere  ! 
Thanne  sholde  nat  hunger  in  my  wombe 5  crepe  ; 
Ther  is  no  thyng  but  breed  that  me  were 
levere.”  •  8050 

Thus  day  by  day  this  child  bigan  to  crye, 

Til  in  his  fadres  barm6  adoun  it  lay,  (14,750  t.) 

1  Information  not  under  oath.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  8  Scarcely. 
4  Inserted  by  Skeat.  6  Belly.  6  Lap. 


UGOLINO,  COUNT  OF  PISA. 


345 


And  seyde,  “  Fare-wel,  fader,  I  moot  dye  !  ” 
And  kiste  his  fader,  and  dyde  the  same  day ; 
And  whan  the  woful  fader  deed  it  say,1 
For  wo  hise  armes  two  he  gan  to  byte, 

And  seyde,  “  Allas,  Fortune  !  and  weylaway  ! 
Thy  false  wheel  my  wo  al  may  I  wyte  !  ” 2 
Hise  children  wende  3  that  it  for  hunger  was 
That  he  hise  armes  gnow,4  and  nat  for  wo  , 
And  seyde,  “  Fader,  do  nat  so,  alias  !  8061 

But  rather  ete  the  flessh  up-on  us  two  ; 

Oure  flessh  thou  gaf  us,5  take  oure  flessh  us 
fro, 

And  ete  ynogh,”  —  right  thus  they  to  hym  seyde, 
And  after  that,  with-inne  a  day  or  two, 

They  leyde  hem  in  his  lappe  adoun  and  deyde. 
Hym-self,  despeired,  eek  for  hunger  starf  • 6 
Thus  ended  is  this  myghty  erl  of  Pize  ; 

From  heigh  estaat  Fortune  awey  hym  carf.7 
Of  this  tragedie  it  oghte  ynough  sufflse.  8070 
Who  so  wol  here  it  in  a  lenger  wise, 

Redeth  the  grete  poete  of  Ytaille  (14,770  t.) 

That  highte  Dant,  for  he  kan  al  devyse 

Fro  point  to  point,  — nat  o  word  wol  he  faille.8 

Al  though  that  Nero  were  as  5  vicious 
As  any  feend  that  lith  in  helle  adoun, 

Yet  he,  as  telleth  us  Swetonius,  (14,383  T.) 
This  wyde  world  hadde  in  subjeccioun 
Bothe  est  and  west,  south 9  and  septem-trioun  ; 10 

1  Saw  it  dead.  2  Impute  to.  8  Thought.  4  Gnawed.  6  Not 
in  Elies.  MS.  6  Died.  7  Cut.  8  The  Inferno,  xxxiii.  13.  9  The 

MSS.  have  “  north.”  10  North. 


346  THE  monk’s  tale. 

% 

Of  rubies,  saphires,  and  of  peerles  white,  8080 
Were  alle  hise  clothes  brouded  up  and  doun  ; 
For  he  in  gemmes  greetly  gan  delite. 

Moore  delicaat,  moore  pompous  of  array, 
Moore  proud,  was  nevere  emperour  than  he  ; 
That  ilke  clooth  that  he  hadde  wered  o  day, 
After  that  tyme  he  nolde  it  nevere  see. 

Nettes  of  gold  threed  hadde  he  greet  plentee 
To  fisshe  in  Tybre,  whan  hym  liste  pleye. 

Hise  lustes  were  al  lawe  in  his  decree, 

For  Fortune,  as  his  f reend,  hym  wolde  obeye. 
He  Rome  brende  1  for  his  delicasie  ; 2  8091 

The  senatours  he  slow  up-on  a  day,  (14,398  T.) 
To  heere  how  men  wolde  wepe  and  crie ; 

And  slow  his  brother,  and  by  his  suster  lay. 

His  mooder  made  he  in  pitous  array, 

For  he  hire  wombe  slitte,  to  biholde 
Where  he  conceyved  was,  so,  weilaway ! 

That  he  so  litel  of  his  mooder  tolde.3 
No  teere  out  of  hise  eyen  for  that  sighte 
Ne  cam,  but  seyde,  “A  fair  womman  was  she  !  ” 
Greet  wonder  is  how  that  he  koude  or  myghte 
Be  domesman  4  of  hire  dede  beautee  ;  8102 

The  wyn  to  bryngen  hym  comanded  he, 

And  drank  anon,  —  noon  oother  wo  he  made. 
Whan  myght  is  joyned  un-to  crueltee, 

Allas,  to  depe  wol  the  venym  wade  ! 

In  yowthe  a  maister  hadde  this  emperour, 

To  teche  hym  lettrure  6  and  curteisye,  — 

1  Burned.  2  Delight.  3  Counted.  4  Judge.  6  Letters. 


“THE  HYE  PRYDE  OF  NERO.”  347 

For  of  moralitee  1  he  was  the  flour, 

As  in  his  tyme,  but  if  bookes  lye  ;  8110 

And  whil  this  maister  hadde  of  hym  maistrye, 
He  maked  hym  so  konnyng 2  and  so  sowple,3 
That  longe  tyme  it  was  er  tirannye, 

Or  any  vice,  dorste  on  hym  uncowple.4 
This  Seneca,  of  which  that  I  devyse, 

By  cause  that5  Nero  hadde  of  hym  swich  drede, 
Fro  he  fro  vices  wolde  hym  ay  5  chastise 
Discreetly,  as  by  word,  and  nat  by  dede  ; 

“  Sire,”  wolde  he  seyn,  “  an  emperour  moot  nede 
Be  vertuous  and  hate  tirannye  ;  ”  8120 

For  which  he  in  a  bath  made  hym  to  blede 
On  bothe  hise  armes,  til  he  moste  dye. 

This  Nero  hadde  eek  of  acustumaunce 
In  youthe  agayns  his  maister  for  to  ryse, 

Which  afterward  hym  thoughte  a  greet  grev- 
aunce ; 

Therfore  he  made  hym  dyen  in  this  wise  ; 

But  nathelees  this  Seneca  the  wise 
Chees  in  a  bath  to  dye  in  this  manere 
Rather  than  han  any  oother  tormentise ; 

And  thus  hath  Nero  slayn  his  maister  deere. 
Now  fil  it  so  that  Fortune  liste  no  lenger  8131 
The  hye  pryde  of  Nero  to  cherice, 

For  though  that  he  were  strong  yet  was  she 
strenger  ; 

She  thoughte  thus  :  “  By  God,  I  am  to  nyce,® 

1  Manners  (Latin,  mos,  fashion).  2  Wise.  3  Not  obstinate. 

4  Attack.  6  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  0  Foolish. 


348  the  monk’s  tale. 

To  sette  a  man  that  is  fulfild  of  vice 
In  heigh  degree,  and  emperour  hym  calle. 

By  God  !  out  of  his  sete  I  wol  hym  trice  ; 1 
Whan  he  leest  weneth  sonnest  shal  he  falle  !  ” 
The  peple  roos  up-on  hym  on  a  nyght 
For  his  defaute,  and  whan  he  it  espied,  •  8140 
Out  of  hise  dores  anon  he  hath  hym  dight 
Allone,  and,  ther  he  wende  han  ben  allied,2 
He  knokked  faste,  and  ay  the  moore  he  cried 
Thefastere  shette  they  the  dores  alle ;  (14,450  t.) 
Tho  wiste  he  weel  he  hadde  hymself  mysgy’d,8 
And  wente  his  wey,  no  lenger  dorste  he  calle. 
The  peple  cride  and  rombled  up  and  doun 
That  with  his  erys  herde  he  how  they  seyde, 

“  Where  is  this  false  tiraunt,  this  Neroun  ?  ” 
For  fere  almoost  out  of  his  wit  he  breyde,4 
And  to  hise  goddes  pitously  he  preyde  8151 
For  socour,  but  it  myghte  nat  bityde. 

For  drede  of  this,  hym  thoughte  that  he  cleyde, 
And  ran  in-to  a  garden  hym  to  hyde  ; 

And  in  this  gardyn  foond  he  cherles  tweye 
That  seten  by  a  fyr,  ful 5  greet  and  reed ; 

And  to  thise  cherles  two  he  gan  to  preye 
To  sleen  hym,  and  to  girden  of 6  his  heed, 

That  to  his  body,  whan  that  he  were  deed, 

Were  no  despit  ydoon  for  his  defame.  8160 
Hym  self  he  slow,  he  koude  7  no  bettre  reed,8 
Of  which  Fortune  lough,  and  hadde  a  game.9 

1  Thrust.  2  Thought  he  had  allies.  3  This  line  from  Camb. 
MS.;  notin  Elies.  4  Started.  6  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  8  Strike  off. 

7  Knew.  8  Advice.  9  Jest. 


HOLOFERNES. 


349 


Was  nevere  capitayn  under  a  kyng 
That  regnes  mo  putte  in  subjeccioun, 

Ne  strenger  was  in  feeld  of  alle  thyng, 

As  in  his  tyme,  ne  gretter  of  renoun, 

Ne  moore  pompous  in  heigh  presumpcioun, 
Than  Oloferne,  which  that 1  Fortune  ay  kiste 
So  likerously,  and  ladde  hym  up  and  doun, 

Til  that  his  heed  was  of,  er  that  he  wiste.  8170 
Nat  oonly  that  this  world  hadde  hym  in  awe 
For  lesynge 2  of  richesse  or  libertee, 

But  he  1  made  every  man  reneyen  3  his  lawe. 

“  Nabugodonosor  was  god,”  seyde  hee, 

“  Noon  oother  god  ne  sholde  adoured  bee.” 
Agayns  his  heeste  no  wight  dorst  trespace 
Save  in  Bethulia,  a  strong  citee 
Where  Eliachim  a  preest  was  of  that  place. 

But  taak  kepe 4  of  the  deeth  of  Oloferne  : 
Amydde  his  hoost  he  dronke  lay  a  nyght,  8x80 
With-inne  his  tente,  large  as  is  a  berne, 

And  yet,  for  al  his  pompe  and  al  his  myght, 
Judith,  a  womman,  as  he  lay  upright 
Slepynge,  his  heed  of  srnoot,  and  from  his  tente 
Ful  pryvely  she  stal  from  every  wight, 

And  with  his  heed  un-to  hir  toun  she  wente. 

What  nedeth  it  of  kyng  Anthiochus 
To  telle  his  hye  roial  magestee, 

His  hye  pride,  hise  werkes  venymus  ? 

For  swich  another  was  ther  noon  as  he.  8190 
Rede  which  that  he  was  in  Machabee, 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Fear  of  Losing.  3  Deny.  4  Notice. 


350 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


And  rede  the  proude  wordes  that  he  seyde, 
And  why  he  fil  fro  heigh  prosperitee, 

And  in  an  hill  how  wrecchedly  he  deyde. 
Fortune  hym  hadde  enhaunced  so  in  pride 
That  verraily  he  wende  he  myghte  attayne 
Unto  the  sterres  up-on  every  syde ;  (14,503  t.) 
And  in  balance  weyen  ech  montayne ; 

And  alle  the  floodes  of  the  see  restrayne  ;  8199 
And  Goddes  peple  hadde  he  moost  in  hate  ; 
Hem  wolde  he  sleen  in  torment  and  in  payne, 
Wenynge  that  God  ne  myghte  his  pride  abate. 
And  for  that  Nichanore  and  Thymothee, 

Of  Jewes  weren  venquysshed  myghtily, 

Un-to  the  Jewes  swich  an  hate  hadde  he 
That  he  bad  greithen  1  his  chaar  2  ful  hastily, 
And  swoor,  and  seyde  ful  despitously 
Un-to  Jerusalem  he  wolde  eft  soone, 

To  wreken  his  ire  on  it  ful  cruelly ; 

But  of  his  purpos  he  was  let  ful  soone.  8210 
God  for  his  manace  hym  so  soore  smoot 
With  invisible  wounde,  ay  incurable, 

That  in  his  guttes  carf  8  it  so  and  boot,4 
That  hise  peynes  weren  importable  ; 

And  certeinly  the  wreche  was  resonable,5 
For  many  a  mannes  guttes  dide  he  peyne  ; 

But  from  his  purpos  cursed  and  dampnable 
For  all  his  smert  he  wolde  hym  nat  restreyne  ; 
But  bad  anon  apparaillen  his  hoost,  — 

And,  sodeynly,  er  he  was  of  it  war,  8220 

1  Make  ready.  2  Chariot.  3  Cut.  4  Bit.  5  Vengeance  was  just. 


ANTIOCHUS  “DAUNTED.”  35  I 

God  daunted  al  his  pride  and  all  his  boost ; 1 
For  he  so  soore  fil  out  of  his  char, 

That  it  nise  lemes  and  his  skyn  to-tar,2 
So  that  he  neyther  myghte  go  ne  ryde, 

But  in  a  chayer  men  aboute  hym  bar 
Al  for-brused,  bothe  bak  and  syde. 

The  wreche 3  of  God  hym  smoot  so  cruelly, 
That  thurgh  his  body  wikked  wormes  crepte, 
And  ther-with-al  he  stank  so  4  horriblely 
That  noon  of  al  his  meynee  5  that  hym  kepte, 
Wheither  so  he  a-wook  or  ellis  slepte,  8231 
Ne  myghte  noght  for  stynk  of  hym  endure. 

In  this  meschief  he  wayled  and  eek  wepte, 

And  knew  God  lord  of  every  creature. 

To  all  his  hoost  and  to  hym  self  also 

Ful  wlatsom  6  was  the  stynk  of  his  careyne  ; 7 

No  man  ne  myghte  hym  bere  to  ne  fro  ; 

And  in  this  stynk  and  this  horrible  peyne, 

He  starf 8  ful  wrecchedly  in  a  monteyne.  8239 
Thus  hath  this  robbour  and  this  homycide, 
That  many  a  man  made  to  wepe  and  pleyne, 
Swich  gerdoun 9  as  bilongeth  un-to  pryde. 

The  storie  of  Alisaundre  is  so  commune, 
That  every  wight  that  hath  discrecioun 
Hath  herd  somwhat  or  al  of  his  fortune. 

This  wyde  world,  as  in  conclusioun,  (14,552  T.) 
He  wan  by  strengthe,  or  for  his  hye  renoun 
They  weren  glad  for  pees  un-to  hym  sende. 

1  Boast.  2  Lacerated.  8  Vengeance.  4  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 
6  Attendants.  6  Loathsome.  7  Carrion.  8  Died.  9  Reward. 


352 


THE  MONK’S  TALE. 


The  pride  of  man  and  beest  he  leyde  adoun 
Wher  so  he  cam  un-to  the  worldes  ende.  8250 
Comparisoun  myghte  nevere  yet  been  maked 
Bitwixen  hym  and  another  conquerour  ; 

For  al  this  world  for  drede  of  hym  hath  quaked, 
He  was  of  knighthod  and  of  fredom  flour, 
Fortune  hym  made  the  heir  of  hire  honour 
Save  wyn  and  wommen  no  thyng  1  mighte 
aswage 

His  hye  entente  in  armes  and  labour, 

So  was  he  ful  of  leonyn  corage. 

What  preys  2  were  it  to  hym  though  I  yow  tolde 
Of  Darius,  and  an  hundred  thousand  mo,  8260 
Of  kynges,  princes,  erles,  dukes  bolde, 

Whiche  he  conquered  and  broghte  hem  in-to 
wo  ? 

I  seye,  as  fer  as  man  may  ryde  or  go,3 
The  world  was  his,  —  what  sholde  I  moore  de- 
vyse  ? 

For  though  I  writ  or  tolde  yow  everemo 
Of  his  knyghthode,  it  myghte  nat  sufflse. 

Twelf  yeer  he  regned,  as  seith  Machabee. 
Philippes  sone  of  Macidoyne  he  was, 

That  first  was  kyng  in  Grece  the  contree. 

O  worthy,  gentil  Alisandre,  alias!  8270 
That  evere  sholde  fallen  swich  a  cas  ! 
Empoysoned  of  thyn  owene  folk  thou  weere  ; 
Thy  sysi  Fortune  hath  turned  in-to  aas,5 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “man.”  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “pris.”  «  Walk. 
4  Six.  B  Ace.  Cf.  11.  4546,  4547. 


“JULIUS  THE  CONQUEROUR.”  353 

And  yet  for  thee  ne  weepe  she  never  a  teere  ! 
Who  shal  me  geven  teeris  to  compleyne 
The  deeth  of  gentillesse  and  of  franchise,1 
That  al  the  world  weelded  in  his  demeyne  ? 2 
And  yet  hym  thoughte  it  myghte  nat  suffise, 

So  ful  was  his  corage  of  heigh  emprise. 

Allas  !  who  shal  me  helpe  to  endite  8280 

False  Fortune,  and  poyson  to  despise, 

The  whiche  two  of  al  this  wo  I  wyte  ? 3 

By  wisedom,  manhede,  and  by  greet 4  labour, 
From  humble  bed  to  roial  magestee 
Up  roos  he,  Julius  the  conquerour, 

That  wan  al  thoccident,  by  land  and  see, 

By  strengthe  of  hand,  or  elles  by  tretee, 

And  un-to  Rome  made  hem  tributarie  ; 

And  sitthe 5  of  Rome  the  emperour  was  he 
Til  that  Fortune  weex  his  adversarie.  8290 
O  myghty  Cesar  !  that  in  Thessalie 
Agayn  Pompeus,  fader  thyn  in  lawe, 

That  of  thorient 6  hadde  all  the  chivalrie 
As  fer  as  that  the  day  bigynneth  dawe, 

Thou  thurgh  thy  knyghthod  hast  hem  take  and 
slawe,  (14,601  t.) 

Save  fewe  folk  that  with  Pompeus  fledde, 
Thurgh  which  thou  puttest  al  thorient  in  awe,  — 
Thanke  Fortune,  that  so  wel  thee  spedde  ! 

But  now  a  litel  while  I  wol  biwaille 
This  Pompeus,  this  noble  governour  8300 

1  Frankness.  2  Domain.  3  Blame.  4  Not  in  Elles.  MS. 
5  Afterwards.  6  Elles.  MS.  has  “the  Orient.” 

23 


VOL.  I. 


354 


THE  MONK  S  TALE. 


Of  Rome,  which  that  fleigh 1  at  this  bataille. 

I  seye,  oon  of  hise  men,  a  fals  traitour, 

His  heed  of  smoot,  to  wynnen  hym  favour 
Of  Julius,  and  hym  the  heed  he  broghte. 

Allas,  Pompeye,  of  thorient  conquerour, 

That  Fortune  un-to  swich  a  fyn 2  thee  broghte  ! 
To  Rome  agayn  repaireth  Julius 
With  his  triumphe,3  lauriat  ful  hye ; 

But  on  a  tyrne  Brutus  and  4  Cassius, 

That  evere  hadde  of  his  hye  estaat  envye, 

Ful  prively  had6  maad  conspiracye  8311 

Agayns  this  Julius  in  subtil  wise, 

And  caste  the  place  in  which  he  sholde  dye 
With  boydekyns,6  as  I  shal  yow  devyse. 

This  Julius  to  the  Capitolie  wente 
Upon  a  day,  as  he  was  wont  to  goon, 

And  in  the  Capitolie  anon  hym  hente  1 
This  false  Brutus,  and  hise  othere  foon,8 
And  stiked  hym  with  boydekyns  anoon 
With  many  a  wounde,  and  thus  they  lete  hym 
lye ;  8320 

But  nevere  gronte 9  he  at  no  strook  but  oon, 

Or  elles  at  two,  but  if  his  storie  lye. 

So  manly  was  this  Julius  of  herte, 

And  so  wel  lovede  estaatly  honestee, 

That  though  hise  deedly  woundes  soore  smerte, 
His  mantel  over  his  hypes  caste  he 
For  no  man  sholde  seen  his  privetee  ; 

1  Fled.  2  End.  3  Cf.  1.  4822.  4  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  5  Elies. 

MS.  reads  “hath.”  0  Daggers.  Cf.  Hamlet,  act  iii.,  sc.  1, 1.  76. 
7  Seized.  8  Foes.  9  Groaned. 


JULIUS  CAESAR.  — CRCESUS.  355 

And  as  he  lay  of  diyng  in  a  traunce, 

And  wiste  verraily  that  deed  was  hee, 

Of  honestee  1  yet  hadde  he  remembraunce. 
Lucan,  to  thee  this  storie  I  recomende.  8331 
And  to  Swetoun,  and  to  Valerius  also, 

That  of  this  storie  writen  word  and  ende,2 
How  that  to  thise  grete  conqueroures  two 
Fortune  was  first  freend  and  sitthe  foo. 

No  man  ne  truste  up-on  hire  favour  longe, 

But  have  hire  in  awayt 3  for  evere  moo ; 
Witnesse  on  alle  thise  conquerouers  stronge. 

This  riche  Cresus,  whilom  kyng  of  Lyde, 

Of  which  Cresus  4  Cirus  soore  hym  dradde, 

Yet  was  he  caught  amyddes  al  his  pryde  8341 
And  to  be  brent  men  to  the  fyr  hym  ladde ; 

But  swich  a  reyn  doun  fro  the  welkne  5  shadde, 
That  slow 6  the  fyr  and  made  hym  to  escape  ; 
But  to  be  war,  no  grace  yet  he  hadde,  (14,65 1  t.) 
Til  Fortune  on  the  galwes  made  hym  gape. 
Whanne  he  escaped  was  he  kan  nat  stente 
For  to  bigynne  a  newe  werre  agayn.  8348 
He  wende  wel 7  for  that  Fortune  hym  sente 
Swich  hape  that  he  escaped  thurgh  the  rayn, 
That  of  hise  foos  he  myghte  nat  be  slayn  ; 

And  eek  a  swevene  8  up-on  a  nyght  he  mette,9 
Of  which  he  was  so  proud,  and  eek  so  fayn, 
That  in  vengeance  he  al  his  herte  sette. 

1  Decency.  2  Dr.  Hicks  would  read  “  ord  and  end,”  beginning 
and  end.  Cf.  Troylus  and  Cryseyde,  ii.  1495,  iii.  702,  and  v.  16S3. 
The  expression  is  not  uncommon.  3  Watcli  her.  4  Cf.  1.  8750. 

6  Welkin.  0  Extinguished.  7  Fully  believed.  8  Dream.  9  Dreamed. 


356  THE  monk’s  tale. 

Up-on  a  tree  he  was,  as  that  hym  thoughte, 
Ther  J uppiter  hym  wesshe,  bothe  bak  and  syde, 
And  Phebus  eek  a  fair  towaille  hym  broughte 
To  dryen  hym  with,  and  therfore  wex  his  pryde  ; 
And  to  his  doghter,  that  stood  hym  bisyde, 
Which  that  he  knew  in  heigh  science  habounde,1 
He  bad  hire  telle  hym  what  it  signyfyde,  8361 
And  she  his  dreem  bigan  right  thus  expounde  : 
“  The  tree,”  quod  she,  “  the  galwes  is  to  meene ; 
And  J uppiter  bitokneth  snow  and  reyn, 

And  Phebus  with  his  towaille  so  clene, 

Tho  been  the  sonne-bemes  for  to  seyn  ; 

Thou  shalt  anhanged  be,  fader,  certeyn,  — 
Reyn  shal  thee  wasshe  and  sonne  shal  thee 
drye  ;  ”  8368 

Thus  warned  she 2  hym  ful  plat  and  ful  pleyn, 
His  doghter  which  that  called  was  Phanye. 
An-hanged  was  Cresus,  the  proude  kyng ; 

His  roial  trone  myghte  hym  nat  availle. 


Tragedie 3  is 2  noon  oother  manor  thyng ; 

Ne  kan  in  syngyng  crie  ne  biwaille  (14,680  T.) 
But  for 2  that  Fortune  alwey  wole  assaille 
With  unwar  strook  the  regnes  4  that  been  proude ; 
For  whan  men  trust cth  hire,  thanne  wol  she  faille, 
And  covere  hire  brighte  face  with  a  clowde.  8378 

1  Great  knowledge  to  abound.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  8  Cf.  1. 
7585,  and  Boethius.  4  Kingdoms. 

Note.  —  The  reader  will  notice  by  Tyrwhitt’s  numbers  that  he 
did  not  arrange  the  Monk’s  examples  as  in  the  text.  The  references 
in  the  conversation  that  follows  prove  that  the  series  should  end  as 
above.  Tyrwhitt  arranged  the  last  examples  thus:  Zenobia,  Nero, 
Holofernes,  Antiochus,  Alexander,  Julius  Caesar,  Crcesus,  Peter  of 
Spain,  Peter  of  Cyprus,  Barnabo,  and  Ugolino  of  Pisa. 


THE  KNIGHT  AND  THE  HOST  COMPLAIN.  357 


The  Knight  and  the  Host  complain  of  this  Tale. 

“  Hoo  !  ”  quod  the  Knyght,  “  good  sire,  na- 
moore  of  this  !  (14,773  T-) 

That  ye  han  seyd  is  right  ynough,  ywis,  8380 
And  much  el  moore  ;  for  litel  hevynesse 
Is  right  ynough  to  muche  folk,  I  gesse. 

I  seye  for  me  it  is  a  greet  disese  1 

Where  as  men  han  been  in  greet  welthe  and  ese 

To  heeren  of  hire  sodeyn  fal,  alias  ! 

And  the  contrarie  is  joye  and  greet  solas, 

As  whan  a  man  hath  ben  in  povre  estaat, 

And  clymbeth  up,  and  wexeth  fortunat, 

And  there  abideth  in  prosperitee  ;  8389 

Swich  thyng  is  gladsom,  as  it  thynketh  me, 

And  of  swich  thyng  were  goodly  for  to  telle.” 
“Ye,”  quod  oure  Hoost,  “  by  Seint  Poules 
belle  ! 

Ye  seye  right  sooth ;  this  Monk  he  clappeth 
lowde  ; 

He  spak  how  ‘  Fortune  covered  with  a 
clowde,’ 2  — 

I  noot3  nevere  what,  — and  als  of  a  ‘  tragedie  ’ 
Right  now  ye  herde,  and,  pardee ,  1  no  remedie  ’ 4 
It  is  for  to  ‘  biwaille,’ 6  ne  compleyne 
That  that  is  doon  ;  and  als,6  it  is  a  peyne, 

As  ye  han  seyd,  to  heere  of  hevynesse. 

1  Discomfort.  3  Cf.  1.  8378.  3  Know  not.  4  Cf.  1.  7605.  5  Cf. 

1.  8374.  6  Also. 


3 5 S  “  SOMWHAT  OF  HUNTYNG  ”  WANTED. 

Sire  Monk,  namoore  of  this,  so  God  yow  blesse  ! 
Youre  tale  anoyeth  all  this  compaignye;  8401 
Swich  talkyng  is  nat  worth  a  boterflye, 

For  ther-inne  is  ther  no  desport  ne  game. 
Wherfore,  sire  Monk,  daun  Piers 1  by  youre 
name,  (14,798  t.) 

I  pray  yow  hertely,  telle  us  somwhat  elles, 

For  sikerly  nere  2  clynkyng  of  youre  belles,3 
That  on  youre  bridel  hange  on  every  syde, 

By  hevene  kyng,  that  for  us  alle  dyde  ! 

I  sholde  er  this  han  fallen  doun  for  sleepe, 
Al-thogh  the  slough  had  never  been  so  deepe ; 
Thanne  hadde  youre  tale  al  be  toold  in  veyn, 
For  certeinly,  as  that  thise  clerkes  seyn,  8412 
Where  as  a  man  may  have  noon  audience, 
Noght  helpeth  it  to  tellen  his  sentence ; 

And  wel  I  woot  the  substance  is  in  me, 

If  any  thyng  shal  wel  reported  be. 

Sir,  sey  somwhat  of  huntyng,  I  yow  preye.” 

“  Nay  !  ”  quod  this  Monk,  “  I  have  no  lust 
to  pleye ; 

Now  lat  another  telle,  as  I  have  toold.” 

Thanne  spak  oure  Hoost  with  rude  speche 
and  boold,  8420 

And  seyde  un-to  the  Nonnes  Preest  anon, 

“  Com  neer,  thou  preest,  com  hyder,  thou  sir 
John. 

Telle  us  swich  thyng  as  may  oure  hertes  glade ; 


1  Cf.  1.  7540.  The  Host  has  now  learned  the  Monk’s  name. 

2  Were  it  not  for  the.  s  Cf.  1.  170. 


u 


359 


THIS  SWEETE  PREST.” 

Be  blithe,  though  thou  ryde  up-on  a  jade. 

What  thogh  thyn  hors  be  bothe  foule  and  lene  ? 
If  he  wol  serve  thee,  rekke  nat  a  bene  ; 

Looke  that  thyn  herte  be  murie  everemo.” 

“  Yis,  sir,”  quod  he,  “  yis,  Hoost,  so  moot  I 

gO,  (14,822  T.) 

But  I  be  myrie,  ywis  I  wol  be  blamed.” 

And  right  anon  his  tale  he  hath  attained,1  8430 
And  thus  he  seyde  un-to  us  everichon, 

This  sweete  preest,  this  goodly  man,  sir  John.2 


Heere  bigynneth  The  Notifies  Preestes  Tale  of  the 
Cok  and  Hen ,  —  Chauntecleer  and  Pertclote. 

A  povre  wydwe,  somdel  stape  3  in  age, 

Was  whilom  dwellyng  in  a  narwe  cotage 
Beside  a  greve,4  stondynge  in  a  dale.  (14,829  T.) 
This  wydwe,  of  which  I  telle  yow  my  tale, 

Syn  thilke  day  that  she  was  last  a  wyf, 

In  pacience  ladde  a  ful  symple  lyf, 

For  litel  was  hir  catel6  and  hir  rente.6  8439 
By  housbondrie  of  swich  as  God  hire  sente 
She  foond 7  hir  self,  and  eek  hire  doghtren  two. 
Thre  large  sowes  hadde  she,  and  namo  ; 

Three  keen  8  and  eek  a  sheep  that  highte  Malle. 
Ful  sooty9  was  hir  bour,10  and  eek  hire  halle, 


1  Begun.  2  The  tale  of  the  Cock  and  the  Fox  is  found  in  the 
French  Roman  du  Renart,  where  it  was  enlarged  from  a  series  of 
ASsop’s  fables,  translated  by  Marie  de  France  from  the  English  of 
King  Alfred.  Chaucer’s  version  is  more  picturesque  and  true  to  life 
than  the  earlier  ones.  3  Advanced,  stept.  Cf.  1.  13,850.  4  Grove. 
5  Wealth.  0  Income.  7  Supplied.  8  Kine.  9  Foul.  10  Chamber. 


360  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

In  which  she  eet  ful  many  a  sklendre  meel ; 

Of  poynaunt  sauce  hir  nedecl  never  a  deel. 

No  deyntee  morsel  passed  thurgh  hir  throte, 

Hir  diete  was  accordant  to  hir  cote  ; 1 
Repleccioun  ne  made  hire  nevere  sik, 
Attempree  diete  was  al  hir  phisik,  8450 

And  exercise,  and  hertes  suffisaunce. 

The  goute  lette  hire  no-thyng2  for  to  daunce, 
Napoplexie  shente  3  nat  hir  heed  ; 

No  wyn  ne  drank  she,  neither  whit  ne  reed  ; 
Hir  bord  was  served  moost  with  whit  and 
blak, — 

Milk  and  broun  breed,  —  in  which  she  foond 
no  lak  ;  (14,850^) 

Seynd  4  bacoun  and  somtyme  an  ey 5  or  tweye, 
For  she  was,  as  it  were,  a  maner  deye.6 

A  yeerd  she  hadde,  enclosed  al  aboute 
With  stikkes,  and  a  drye  dych  with-oute,  8460 
In  which  she  hadde  a  cok,  heet  Chauntecleer. 
In  al  the  land  of  crowyng  nas  his  peer. 

His  voys  was  murier  than  the  murie  orgon 
On  messe7  dayes  that  in  the  chirche  gon  ; 

Wei  sikerer  8  was  his  crowyng  in  his  logge 9 
Than  is  a  clokke,10  or  an  abbey  orlogge.11 
By  nature  he  knew  12  eche  ascencioun 
Of  the  equynoxial  in  thilke  toun  • 

For  whan  degrees  fiftene  weren  ascended, 
Thanne  crew  he  that  it  myghte  nat  been 
amended.  8470 

1  Cottage.  2  Hindered  her  not  at  all.  3  Hurt.  4  Broiled.  5  Egg 
*  Female  farm  servant,  or  dairy-woman.  7  Mass.  8  Surer.  0  Lodge 
10  Bell  or  clock.  11  Time-keeper.  12  Elies.  MS.  has  “crew.” 


“THIS  GENTIL  COK.”  36 1 

His  coomb  was  redder  than  the  fyn  coral, 

And  batailled  as  it  were  a  castel  wal ; 

His  byle  1  was  blak,  and  as  the  jeet 2  it  shoon  ; 
Lyk  asure  were  hise  legges  and  his  toon  • 

Hise  navies  whiter  than  the  lylye  flour, 

And  lyk  the  burned 3  gold  was  his  colour. 

This  gentil  cok  hadde  in  his  governaunce 
Sevene  hennes  for  to  doon  al  his  plesaunce, 
Whiche  were  hise  sustres  and  his  paramours, 
And  wonder  lyk  to  hym,  as  of  colours  ;  8480 

Of  whiche  the  faireste  hewed  on  hir  throte 
Was  cleped  faire  damoysele  Pertelote. 

Curteys  she  was,  discreet  and  debonaire, 

And  compaignable,  and  bar  hyr-self  so  faire 
Syn  thilke  day  that  she  was  seven  nyght  oold, 
That  trewely  she  hath  the  herte  in  hoold 
Of  Chauntecleer,  loken  in  every  lith  ;4 
He  loved  hire  so  that  wel  was  hym  therwith  ; 
But  swiche  a  joye  was  it  to  here  hem  synge,  — 
Whan  that  the  brighte  sonne  bigan  to 
sprynge,  —  8490 

In  sweete  accord,  “My  lief  is  faren  in  londe 5 
For  thilke  tyme,6  as  I  have  understonde, 
Beestes  and  briddes  koude  speke  and  synge. 

And  so  bifel,  that  in  the  dawenynge, 

As  Chauntecleer  among  hise  wyves  alle 
Sat  on  his  perche,  that  was  in  the  halle, 

And  next  hym  sat  this  faire  Pertelote, 

1  Bill.  2  Jet.  3  Some  MSS.  have  “  burnished.”  4  Locked  in 
every  limb.  5  My  love  is  gone  away.  6  At  that  time. 


362  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

This  Chauntecleer  gan  gronen  in  his  throte 
As  man  that  in  his  dreem  is  drecched  1  soore. 
And  whan  that  Pertelote  thus  herde  hym 
roore,  8500 

She  was  agast,  and  seyde,  “  O  herte  deere  ! 
What  eyleth  yow,  to  grone  in  this  manere  ? 

Ye  been  a  verray  sleper  ;  fy,  for  shame  !  ” 

And  he  answerde  and  seyde  thus :  “  Madame, 
I  pray  yow  that  ye  take  it  nat  agrief  ; 2 
By  God,  me  thoughte  I  was  in  swich  meschief 
Right  now,  that  yet  myn  herte  is  soore  afright. 
Now  God,”  quod  he,  “  my  swevene  recche 3 
aright,  (i4,9°2  T-) 

And  kepe  my  body  out  of  foul  prisoun ; 

Me  mette  4  how  that  I  romed  up  and  doun  8510 
With-inne  our  yeerd,  wheer  as  I  saugh  a  beest 
Was  lyk  an  hound,  and  wolde  han  maad  areest 6 
Up-on  my  body,  and  han  had  me  deed. 

His  colour  was  bitwixe  yelow  and  reed, 

And  tipped  was  his  tayl,  and  bothe  hise  eeris, 
With  blak,  unlyk  the  remenant  of  hise  heeris ; 
His  snowte  sinal,  with  glowynge  eyen  tweye. 
Yet  of  his  look  for  feere  almoost  I  deye  ; 

This  caused  me  my  gronyng  doutelees.”  8519 
“  Avoy  !  ”  quod  she,  “  fy  on  yow,  hertelees  ! 
Allas  !  ”  quod  she,  “  for  by  that  God  above  ! 
Now  han  ye  lost  myn  herte  and  al  my  love. 

I  kan  nat  love  a  coward,  by  my  feith  ! 

For  certes,  what  so  any  womman  seith, 

1  Troubled.  2  Amiss.  3  Dream  fall  out.  4  Dreamed.  6  Seizure. 


363 


“  YE  BEEN  FUL  COLERYK.” 

We  alle  desiren,  if  it  myghte  bee, 

To  han  housbondes  hardy,  wise,  and  free, 

And  secree,  and  no  nygard,  ne  no  fool, 

Ne  hym  that  is  agast  of  every  tool,1 
Ne  noon  avauntour,2  by  that  God  above  ! 

How  dorste  ye  seyn,  for  shame,  un-to  youre  love 
That  any  thyng  myghte  make  yow  aferd  ?  8531 
Have  ye  no  mannes  herte,  and  han  a  berd  ? 

“  Allas  !  and  konne  ye  been  agast  of  sweve- 
nys  ? 

No  thyng,  God  woot,  but  vanitee  in  swevene  is. 
Swevenes  engendren  of  replecciouns, 

And  ofte  of  fume,  and  of  complecciouns 
Whan  humours  been  to  habundant  in  a  wight. 

“  Certes  this  dreem,  which  ye  han  met 3  to- 
nyght, 

Cometh  of  the 4  greet  superfluytee 
Of  youre  rede  colera,5 pardee,  8540 

Which  causeth  folk  to  dreden  in  hir  dremes 
Of  arwes,  and  of  fyre  with  rede  lemes,6 
Of  grete  beestes  that  they  wol  hem  byte, 

Of  contekes  7  and  of  whelpes,  grete  and  lyte  ; 
Right  as  the  humour  of  malencolie 
Causeth  ful  many  a  man  in  sleepe  to  crie, 

For  feere  of  blake  beres,  or  boles  8  blake, 

Or  elles  blake  develes  wole  hem  take. 

Of  othere  humours  koude  I  telle  also 
That  werken  many  a  man  in  sleepe  ful  wo ; 


1  Weapon.  2  Braggart.  3  Dreamed.  4  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  5  Bile 
6  Gleams.  7  Struggles.  8  Bulls.  * 


364  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

But  I  wol  passe  as  lightly  as  I  kan.  8551 

Lo,  Catoun,  which  that  was  so  wys  a  man, 
Seyde  he  nat  thus,  ‘Ne  do  no  fors1  of  dremes’? 
“Now,  sire,”  quod  she,  “whan  ye  flee  fro 
the  bemes, 

For  Goddes  love,  as  taak  som  laxatyf. 

Up  peril  of  my  soule,  and  of  my  lyf,  (14,950  T.) 
I  conseille  yow  the  beste,  I  wol  nat  lye, 

That  bothe  of  colere  2  and  of  malencolye 
Ye  purge  yow,  and,  for  ye  shal  nat  tarie, 
Though  in  this  toun  is  noon  apothecarie,  8560 
I  shal  my-self  to  herbes  techen  yow 
That  shul  been  for  youre  hele,  and  for  youre 
prow  ; 3 

And  in  oure  yeerd  tho  herbes  shal  I  fynde, 

The  whiche  han  of  hire  propretee  by  kynde  4 
To  purge  yow,  bynethe  and  eek  above. 

Forget  nat  this,  for  Goddes  owene  love  ! 

Ye  been  ful  coleryk  of  compleccioun. 

Ware5  the  sonne  in  his  ascencioun 
Ne  fynde  yow  nat  repleet  of  humours  hoote ; 
And  if  it  do,  I  dar  wel  leye  a  grote  8570 

That  ye  shul  have  a  fevere  terciane, 

Or  an  agu,  that  may  be  youre  bane. 

A  day  or  two  ye  shul  have  digestyves 
Of  wormes,  er  ye  take  youre  laxatyves 
Of  lawriol,  centaure  6  and  fumetere,7 
Or  elles  of  ellebor  that  grovveth  there, 


1  Account  nothing.  2  Choler.  3  Profit.  4  Property  by  their 
nature.  6  Beware.  6  Century.  7  Fumitory. 


CICERO’S  “TWO  FELAWES.”  365 

Of  katapuce  1  or  of  gaitrys  2  beryis, 

Of  herbe  yve  growyng  in  ou re  yeerd  ther  mery  is,8 
Pekke  hem  up  right  as  they  growe  and  ete  hem 
yn  ; 

Be  myrie,  housbonde,  for  youre  fader  kyn  !  8580 
Dredeth  no  dreem  ;  I  kan  sey  yow  namoore.” 
“Madame,”  quod  he,  “graunt  mercy  of  youre 
loore, 

But  nathelees,  as  touchyng  daun  Catoun, 

That  hath  of  wysdom  swich  a  greet  renoun, 
Though  that  he  bad  no  dremes  for  to  drede, 
By  God,  men  may  in  olde  bookes  rede 
Of  many  a  man,  moore  of  auctorite 
Than  evere  Caton  was,  so  moot  I  thee  ! 4 
That  al  the  revers  seyn  of  this  sentence, 

And  han  wel  founden  by  experience  8590 
That  dremes  been  significaciouns 
As  wel  of  joye  as  tribulaciouns 
That  folk  enduren  in  this  lif  present. 

Ther  nedeth  make  of  this  noon  argument, 

The  verray  preeve  sheweth  it  in  dede. 

“Oon  of  the  gretteste  auctours  that  men 
rede 5 

Seith  thus,  that  whilom  two  felawes  wente 
On  pilgrimage  in  a  ful  good  entente, 

And  happed  so  they  coomen  in  a  toun, 

Wher  as  ther  was  swich  congregacioun  8600 
Of  peple,  and  eek  so  streit 6  of  herbergage,7 


1  Spurge.  2  Dogwood  3  That  pleasant.  4  Thrive.  5  Cicero, 
De  Divituitione,  pt.  i.  6  Restricted.  7  Lodging. 


366  the  nun’s  priest’s  tale. 

That  they  ne  founde  as  muche  as  o  cotage 
In  which  they  bothe  myghte  logged  bee  ; 
Wherfore  theymosten  of  necessitee,  (14,998  T.) 
As  for  that  nyght,  departen  compaignye  ; 

And  ech  of  hem  gooth  to  his  hostel  rye, 

And  took  his  loggyng  as  it  wolde  falle. 

That  oon  of  hem  was  logged  in  a  stalle 
Fer  in  a  yeerd,  with  oxen  of  the  plough; 

That  oother  man  was  logged  wel  ynough,  8610 
As  was  his  aventure,  or  his  fortune, 

That  us  governeth  alle  as  in  commune. 

“  And  so  bifel  that  longe  er  it  were  day, 

This  man  mette  in  his  bed,  ther  as  he  lay, 

How  that  his  felawe  gan  up-on  hym  calle, 

And  seyde,  ‘  Allas  !  for  in  an  oxes  stalle 
This  nyght  I  shal  be  mordred  ther  I  lye  ; 

Now  helpe  me,  deere  brother,  or  I  dye  ; 

In  alle  haste  com  to  me  !  ’  he  sayde.  8619 
“  This  man  out  of  his  sleepe  for  feere 
abrayde ; 

But  whan  that  he  was  wakened  of  his  sleepe, 
He  turned  hym  and  took  of  it  no  keepe ; 

Hym  thoughte  his  dreem  nas  but  a  vanitee. 
Thus  twies  in  his  slepyng  dremed  hee, 

And  atte  thridde  tyme  yet  his  felawe 
Cam  as  hym  thoughte,  and  seide,  ‘  I  am  now 
slawe  ! 

Bihoold  my  bloody  woundes,  depe  and  wyde  ; 
Arys  up  erly  in  the  morwe  tyde, 

And  at  the  west  gate  of  the  toun/  quod  he, 


“  MY  FELAWE  SLAYN  !  ”  36/ 

‘  A  carte  ful  of  donge  ther  shaltow  se,  8630 
In  which  my  body  is  hid  ful  prively  ; 

Do  thilke  carte  arresten  boldely ; 

My  gold  caused  my  mordre,  sooth  to  sayn.’ 
And  tolde  hym  every  point  how  he  was  slayn, 
With  a  ful  pitous  face  pale  of  hewe ; 

And  truste  wel  his  dreem  he  foond  ful  trewe  ; 
For  on  the  morwe,  as  soone  as  it  was  day, 

To  his  felawes  in  he  took  the  way, 

And  whan  that  he  cam  to  this  oxes  stalle, 

After  his  felawe  he  bigan  to  calle.  8640 

“  The  hostiler  answerde  hym  anon 
And  seyde,  ‘  Sire,  your  felawe  is  agon  ; 

As  soone  as  day  he  wente  out  of  the  toun.’ 

“  This  man  gan  fallen  in  suspecioun,  — 
Remembrynge  on  hise  dremes,  that  he  mette,  — 
And  forth  he  gooth,  no  lenger  wolde  he  lette, 
Un-to  the  westgate  of  the  toun,  and  fond 
A  dong  carte,  as  it  were  to  donge  lond, 

That  was  arrayed  in  that  same  wise 
As  ye  han  herd  the  dede  man  devyse  ;  8650 

And  with  an  hardy  herte  he  gan  to  crye 
Vengeance  and  justice  of  this  felonye. 

‘  My  felawe  mordred  is  this  same  nyght, 

And  in  this  carte  heere  he  lith  gapyng  upright 1 
I  crye  out  on  the  ministres,’  quod  he,  (15,049  T.) 
‘  That  sholden  kepe  and  reulen  this  citee  ; 
Harrow  !  alias  !  heere  lith  my  felawe  slayn  !  ’ 
What  sholde  I  moore  un-to  this  tale  sayn  ? 


1  Cf.  1.  2008. 


368  the  nun’s  priest’s  tale. 

The  peple  out  sterte  and  caste  the  cart  to 
grounde,  8659 

And  in  the  myddel  of  the  dong  they  founde 
The  dede  man,  that  mordred  was  al  newe. 

“  O  blisful  God,  that  art  so  just  and  trewe  ! 
Lo,  howe  that  thou  biwreyest  mordre  alway  ! 
Mordre  wol  out,  that  se  we  day  by  day ; 
Mordre  is  so  wlatsom,1  and  abhomynable 
To  God,  that  is  so  just  and  resonable, 

That  he  ne  wol  nat  suffre  it  heled'2  be, 

Though  it  abyde  a  yeer,  or  two,  or  thre  ;  « 

Mordre  wol  out,  this  my  conclusioun. 

And  right  apon,  ministres  of  that  toun  8670 
Han  hent  the  carter,  and  so  soore  hym  pyned, 
And  eek  the  hostiler  so  soore  engyned,3 
That  they  biknewe  4  hire  wikkednesse  anon, 
And  were  an-hanged  by  the  nekke  bon. 

“  Heere  may  men  seen  that  dremes  been  to 
drede ; 

And  certes,  in  the  same  book  I  rede, 

Right  in  the  nexte  chapitre  after  this,  — 

I  gabbe  nat,  so  have  I  joye  or  blis,  — 

“  Two  men  that  wolde  han  passed  over  see 
For  certeyn  cause  in-to  a  fer  contree,  8680 
If  that  the  wynd  ne  hadde  been  contrarie, 

That  made  hem  in  a  citee  for  to  tarie 
That  stood  ful  myrie  upon  an  haven  syde  ; 

But  on  a  day,  agayn  the  even  tyde, 

The  wynd  gan  chaunge,  and  blew  right  as  hem 
leste. 


1  Loathsome. 


2  Hiddeu.  3  Tortured.  4  Confessed. 


“  THOU  SHALT  BE  DREYNT  !  ”  369 

Jolif  and  glad  they  wente  un-to  hir  reste, 

And  casten  hem  ful  erly  for  to  saille. 

“  But 1  to  that  o  man  fil  a  greet  mervaille ; 
That  oon  of  hem  in  slepyng  as  he  lay,  8689 
Hym  mette  a  wonder  dreem  agayn  the  day  : 
Him  thoughte  a  man  stood  by  his  beddes  syde 
And  hym  comanded  that  he  sholde  abyde, 

And  seyde  hym  thus  :  *  If  thou  tomorwe  wende, 
Thou  shalt  be  dreynt,2  my  tale  is  at  an  ended 
“  He  wook,  and  tolde  his  felawe  what  he 
mette, 

And  preyde  hym  his  viage  for  3  to  lette  ; 

As  for  that  day,  he  preyde  hym  to  byde. 

“  His  felawe,  that  lay  by  his  beddes  syde  ; 
Gan  for  to  laughe,  and  scorned  him  ful  faste  ; 
‘No  dreem,’  quod  he,  ‘may  so  myn  herte  agaste, 
That  I  wol  lette  for  to  do  my  thynges  ;  8701 

I  sette  nat  a  straw  by  thy  dremynges, 

For  swevenes  been  but  vanytees  and  japes  ; 
Men  dreme  al  day  of  owles  or  of  apes, 

And  of  many  a  maze  ther-with-al ;  (15,099  t.) 

Men  dreme  of  thyng  that  nevere  was  ne  shal ; 
But  sith  I  see  that  thou  wolt  heere  abyde, 

And  thus  forslewthen4  wilfully  thy  tyde,  8708 
God  woot  it  reweth  me,  and  have  good  day  !  ’ 
And  thus  he  took  his  leve,  and  wente  his  way  ; 
But  er  that  he  hadde  half  his  cours  yseyled, 
Noot  1 5  nat  why,  ne  what  myschaunce  it  eyled, 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “but  herkneth.”  2  Drowned.  3  Notin  Elies. 
MS.  4  Lose  by  sloth.  6  I  know  not. 

VOL.  I.  24 


370  the  nun’s  priest’s  tale. 

But  casuelly 1  the  shippes  botme  rente, 

And  shipe  and  man  under  the  water  wente 
In  sighte  of  othere  shippes  it  bisyde 
That  with  hem  seyled  at  the  same  tyde ! 

And  therfore,  faire  Pertelote  so  deere, 

By  swiche  ensamples  olde  yet  maistow  leere,2 
That  no  man  sholde  been  to  recchelees 
Of  dremes,  for  I  seye  thee  doutelees,  8720 
That  many  a  dreem  ful  soore  is  for  to  drede. 

“  Lo,  in  the  lyf  of  Seint  Kenelm  I  rede, 

That  was  Kenulphus  sone,  the  noble  kyng 
Of  Mercenrike,3  how  Kenelm  mette  a  thyng. 

A  lite  er  he  was  mordred,  on  a  day 
His  mordre  in  his  avysioun  he  say.4 
His  norice  5  hym  expowned  every  deel 
His  swevene,  and  bad  hym  for  to  kepe  6  hym 
weel 

For  traisoun  •  but  he  nas  but  seven  yeer  oold. 
And  therfore  litel  tale  hath  he  toold  873° 
Of  any  dreem,  so  hooly  is  his  herte. 

By  God,  I  hadde  levere  than  my  sherte 
That  ye  hadde  rad  his  legende  as  have  I. 

Dame  Pertelote,  I  sey  yow  trewely, 
Macrobeus,7  that  writ  the  avisioun 
In  Affrike  of  the  worthy  Cipioun, 

Affermeth  dremes,  and  seith  that  they  been 
YVarnynge  of  thynges  that  men  after  seen  ; 

And  forther-moore,  I  pray  yow  looketh  wel 


1  Accidentally.  2  Mayestthou  learn.  3  Mercia.  4  Saw.  6  Nurse. 
6  Guard.  7  Cf.  The  Parlement  of  Foules,  1  31. 


“  LO  HEERE  ANDROMACHA!”  37 1 

In  the  Okie  Testament  of  Daniel,  8740 

If  he  heeld  dremes  any  vanitee. 

“  Reed  eek  of  Joseph,  and  ther  shul  ye  see  • 
Wher 1  dremes  be  somtyme,  —  I  sey  nat  alle,  — 
Warnynge  of  thynges  that  shul  after  falle. 

“  Looke  of  Egipte  the  kyng,  daun  Pharao, 
His  baker  and  his  butiller  also, 

Wher  they  ne  felte  noon  effect  in  dremes. 
Who-so  wol  seken  actes  of  sondry  remes  2 
May  rede  of  dremes  many  a  wonder  thyng. 

“  Lo,  Cresus,  which  that  was  of  Lyde  kyng,8 
Mette  he  nat  that  he  sat  up-on  a  tree,  8751 
Which  signified  he  sholde  anhanged  bee? 

“  Lo  heere 4  Adromacha,  Ectores  wyf, 

That  day  that  Ector  sholde  lese  his  lyf, 

She  dremed  on  the  same  nyght  biforn, 

How  that  the  lyf  of  Ector  sholde  be  lorne, 

If  thilke  day  hewente  in-to  bataille  ;  (15,151  t.) 
She  warned  hym,  but  it  myghte  nat  availle  ; 

He  wente  for  to  fighte  natheles, 

And5  he  was  slayn  anon  of  Achilles  ;6  8760 

But  thilke  tale  is  al  to  longe  to  telle, 

And  eek  it  is  ny  day,  I  may  nat  dwelle  ; 
Shortly  I  seye,  as  for  conclusioun, 

That  I  shal  han  of  this  avisioun 
Adversitee  ;  and  I  seye  forthermoor, 

That  I  ne  telle  of  laxatyves  no  stoor, 

For  they  been  venymes,  I  woot  it  weel ; 

I  hem  diffye,  I  love  hem  never  a  deel ! 

1  Whether.  2  Realms.  3  Cf.  1.  8340.  4  Her.  B  Elies.  MS. 

has  “  but.”  6  See  the  Geste  Hystoriale  of  the  Destruction  of  Troy, 
book  xxi. ;  and  Dares  Phrygius. 


372  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

“  Now  let  us  speke  of  myrthe,  and  stynte  al 
this  ; 

Madame  Pertelote,  so  have  I  blis,  8770 

Of  o  thyng  God  hath  sent  me  large  grace ; 

For  whan  I  se  the  beautee  of  youre  face 
Ye  been  so  scarlet  reed  aboute  youre  eyen, 

It  maketh  al  my  drede  for  to  dyen, 

For,  al-so  siker  as  In  principio ,4 
Mnlier  est  hominis  confusio ,2  — 

Madame,  the  sentence  3  of  this  Latyn  is, 

‘  Womman  is  mannes  joye,  and  al  his  blis  ;  ’ 
For  whan  I  feele  a-nyght  your  softe  syde, 

Al  be  it  that  I  may  nat  on  yow  ryde  8780 
For  that  oure  perche  is  maad  so  narwe,  al¬ 
ias  ! 

I  am  so  ful  of  joye  and  of  solas, 

That  I  diffye  bothe  swevene  and  dreem  :  ” 

And  with  that  word  he  fly  doun  fro  the  beem, 
For  it  was  day,  and  eke  hise  hennes  alle  ; 

And  with  a  “  chuk  ”  he  gan  hem  for  to  calle, 
For  he  hadde  founde  a  corn  lay  in  the  yercl. 
Real 4  he  was,  he  was  namoore  aferd, 

And  fethered  Pertelote  twenty  tyme, 

And  trad  as  ofte  er  that5  it  was  pryme.  8790 
He  looketh  as  it  were  a  grym  leoun, 

And  on  hise  toos  he  rometh  up  and  doun  ; 
Hym  deigned  nat  to  sette  his  foot  to  grounde  ; 
He  chukketh  whan  he  hath  a  corn  yfounde, 

1  “  In  tbe  beginning.”  Cf.  1.  254.  2  Woman  is  man’s  confusion. 

3  Sense.  *  Regal.  5  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


“  CHAUNTECLEER  IN  AL  HIS  PRYDE  !  ”  373 

And  to  hym  rennen  thanne  hise  wyves  alle. 
Thus  roial  as  a  prince  is  in  an  halle, 

Leve  I  this  Chauntecleer  in  his  pasture, 

And  after  wol  I  telle  his  aventure. 

Whan  that  the  monthe  in  which  the  world 
bigan, 

That  highte  March,  whan  God  first  maked  man, 
Was  compleet,  and  passed  were  also,  8801 
Syn  March  bigan,  thritty  dayes  and  two, 

Bifel  that  Chauntecleer  in  al  his  pryde, 

Hise  sevene  wyves  walkynge  by  his  syde, 

Caste  up  hise  eyen  to  the  brighte  sonne 
That  in  the  signe  of  Taurus  hadde  yronne 
Twenty  degrees  and  oon,  and  som-what  moore, 
And  knew  by  kynde,1  and  by  noon  oother  loore, 
That  it  was  pryme,  and  crew  with  blisful 
stevene,2  (15,203  t.) 

“  The  sonne,”  he  seyde,  “  is  clomben  up  on 
hevene  8810 

Fourty  degrees  and  oon,  and  moore  ywis.3 
Madame  Pertelote,  my  worldes  blis, 

Herkneth  thise  blisful  briddes  how  they  synge, 
And  se  the  fresshe  floures  how  they  sprynge  ; 
Ful  is  myn  herte  of  revel  and  solas  !  ” 

But  sodeynly  hym  fil  a  sorweful  cas  ; 

For  evere  the  latter  ende  of  joy  is  wo. 

God  woot  that  worldly  joye  is  soone  ago, 

And  if  a  rethor4  koude  faire  endite, 

He  in  a  cronycle  saufly  myghte  it  write,  8820 

1  Nature.  Cf.  1.  8467.  -  Voice.  3  Truly.  4  Rhetorician. 


374  THE  nun’s  priest’s  tale.  • 

As  for  a  sovereyn  notabilitee. 

Now  every  wys  man,  lat  him  herkne  me  ; 

This  storie  is  al  so  trewe,  I  undertake, 

As  is  the  book  of  Launcelot  de  Lake 
That  wommen  holde  in  ful  greet  reverence. 
Now  wol  I  come  agayn  to  my  sentence. 

A  colfox,1  ful  of  sly  iniquitee, 

That  in  the  grove  hadde  wonned 2  yeres  three, 
By  heigh  ymaginacioun  forn-cast,3  8829 

The  same  nyght  thurgh-out  the  hegges  brast 
In-to  the  yerd  ther  Chauntecleer  the  faire 
Was  wont,  and  eek  hise  wyves,  to  repaire  ; 

And  in  a  bed  of  wortes  stille  he  lay, 

Til  it  was  passed  undren  4  of  the  day, 

Waitynge  his  tyme  on  Chauntecleer  to  falle ; 

As  gladly  doon  thise  homycides  alle 
That  in  await  liggen  5  to  mordre  men. 

O  false  mordrour  lurkynge  in  thy  den  ! 

O  newe  Scariot,  newe  Genyloun  ! 6 

False  dissynulour,  O  Greek  Synoun,7  8840 

That  broghtest  Troye  al  outrely  to  sorwe  ! 

O  Chauntecleer,  acursed  be  that  morwe 
That  thou  in-to  that  yerd  flaugh  fro  the  bemes  ! 
Thou  were  ful  wel  ywarned  by  thy  dremes 
That  thilke  day  was  perilous  to  thee  ; 

But  what  that  God  forwoot  moot  nedes  bee, 
After  the  opinioun  of  certein  clerkis. 

Witnesse  on  hym  that  any  parfit  clerk  is, 

1  Crafty  fox.  2  Dwelt.  8  Pre-ordained  by  high  intelligence.  Cf. 
1.  8846.  4  Forenoon.  6  Lie.  0  Cf.  1.  5806.  7  Sinon  advised  the 

Trojans  to  take  the  wooden  horse  into  Troy.  Cf.  1.  14,985. 


“  GODDES  WORTHY  FORWITYNG.”  375 

That  in  scole  is  greet  altercacioun 
In  this  mateere,  and  greet  disputisoun,  8850 
And  hath  been  of  an  hundred  thousand  men  ; 
But  I  ne  kan  nat  bulte  it  to  the  bren,1 
As  kan  the  hooly  doctour  Augustyn, 

Or  Boece,2  or  the  bisshope  Bradwardyn, 
Wheither  that  Goddes  worthy  forwityng 
Streyneth  8  me  nedefully  to  doon  a  thyng,  — 
Nedelyclepe  I  symple  necessitee,  — (15,251  T.) 
Or  elles  if  free  choys  be  graunted  me 
To  do  that  same  thyng,  or  do  it  noght, 

Though  God  forwoot  it  er  that  it  was  wroght ; 
Or  if  his  wityng  streyneth  never  a  deel,  8861 
But  by  necessitee  condicioneel. 

I  wil  nat  han  to  do  of  swich  mateere, 

My  tale  is  of  a  cok,  as  ye  may  heere, 

That  took  his  conseil  of  his  wyf  with  sorwe 
To  walken  in  the  yerd  upon  that  morwe 
That  he  hadde  met 4  that  dreem  that  I  of  tolde. 

Wommennes  conseils  been  ful  ofte  colde  ; 
Wommannes  conseil  broghte  us  first  to  wo 
And  made  Adam  fro  6  Paradys  to  go  8870 
Ther  as  he  was  ful  myrie  and  wel  at  ese  ; 

But  for  I  noot 6  to  whom  it  myght  displese, 

If  I  conseil  of  wommen  wolde  blame, 

Passe  over,  for  I  seye  it  in  my  game. 

Rede  auctours  where  they  trete  of  swich  mat¬ 
eere, 

1  Sift  it  to  the  bran.  2  Boethius.  3  Constraineth.  4  Dreamed. 
5  Elles.  MS.  has  “out  of.1’  6  Because  I  know  not. 


376  the  nun’s  priest’s  tale. 

And  what  they  seyn  of  wommen  ye  may 
heere  ; 

Thise  been  the  cokkes  wordes,  and  nat  myne, 

I  kan  noon  harm  of  no  womman  divyne  ! 

Faire  in  the  soond,1  to  bathe  hire  myrily, 

Lith  Pertelote,  and  alle  hire  sustres  by,  8880 
Agayn  2  the  sonne,  and  Chauntecleer  so  free 
Soong  murier  than  the  mermayde  in  the  see ; 
For  Phisiologus 8  seith  sikerly, 

How  that  they  syngen  wel  and  myrily. 

And  so  bifel  that  as  he  cast  his  eye 
Among  the  wortes,  on  a  boterflye, 

He  was  war  of  this  fox  that  lay  ful  lowe. 
No-thyng  ne  liste  hym  thanne  for  to  crowe, 

But  cride  anon,  “  Cok,  cok  !  ”  and  up  he  sterte, 
As  man  that  was  aff rayed  in  his  herte,  —  8890 
For  natureelly  a  beest  desireth  flee 
Fro  his  contrarie,  if  he  may  it  see, 

Though  he  never  erst  hadde  seyn  it  with  his 
eye.  05>287  t.) 

This  Chauntecleer,  whan  he  gan  hym  espye, 
He  wolde  han  fled,  but  that  the  fox  anon 
Seyde,  “  Gentil  sire,  alias  !  wher  wol  ye  gon  ? 
Be  ye  affrayed  of  me  that  am  youre  freend  ? 
Now,  certes,  I  were  worse  than  a  feend, 

If  I  to  yow  wolde  harm  or  vileynye. 

I  am  nat  come  your  conseil  for  tespye,  8900 

But  trewely  the  cause  of  my  comynge 

Was  oonly  for  to  herkne  how  that  ye  synge ; 

1  Sand.  2  Towards.  3  A  mediaeval  work  on  natural  history. 


377 


“MY  lord  youre  fader.” 

For  trewely,  ye  have  as  myrie  a  stevene  1 
As  any  aungel  hath  2  that  is  in  hevene. 
Ther-with  ye  han  in  musyk  moore  feelynge 
Than  hackle  Boece,3  or  any  that  lean  synge. 

My  lord  youre  fader,  —  God  his  soule  blesse  ! 
And  eek  youre  mooder,  of  hire  gentillesse, 

Han  in  myn  hous  ybeen  to  my  greet  ese,  8909 
And  certes,  sire,  ful  fayn  wolde  I  yow  plese. 
But  for  men  speke  of  syngyng,  I  wol  seye,4  — 
So  moote  I  brouke  5  wel  myne  eyen  tvveye,  — 
Save  yow,  herde  I  nevere  man  yet  synge 
As  dide  youre  fader  in  the  morwenynge. 

Certes,  it  was  of  herte,  al  that  he  song ; 

And  for  to  make  his  voys  the  moore  strong, 

He  wolde  so  peyne  hym  that  with  bothe  hise 
eyen  (15,31  it.) 

He  moste  wynke,  so  loude  he  wolde  cryen  ; 
And  stonden  on  his  tiptoon  ther-with  al, 

And  strecche  forth  his  nekke,  long  and  smal ; 
And  eek  he  was  of  swich  discrecioun  8921 
That  ther  nas  no  man  in  no  regioun 
That  hym  in  song  or  wisedom  myghte  passe. 

I  have  wel  rad,  in  ‘  Daun  Burnel  the  Asse,’ 6 
Among  hise  vers,,  how  that  ther  was  a  cok 
For  that  a  preestes  sone  gaf  hym  a  knok 
Up-on  his  leg  whil  he  was  yong  and  nyce, 

He  made  hym  for  to  lese  his  benefice  ; 

But  certeyn,  ther  nys  no  comparisoun 


1  Voice.  2  Notin  Elies.  MS.  3  Boethius  wrote  on  music.  4  Elies. 
MS.  has  “yow'  seye.”  6  Enjoy.  0  A  satirical  poem  in  Latin. 


378  the  nun’s  priest’s  tale. 

Bitwixe  the  wisedom  and  discrecioun  8930 
Of  youre  fader  ard  of  his  subtiltee. 

Now  syngeth,  sire,  for  seinte  1  charitee  ; 

Lat  se,  konne  ye  youre  fader  countrefete.” 
Th'is  Chauntecleer  hise  wynges  gan  to  bete, 

As  man  that  koude  his  traysoun  nat  espie, 

So  was  he  ravysshed  with  his  flaterie. 

Allas,  ye  lordes,  many  a  fals  flatour 
Is  in  youre  courtes,  and  many  a  losengeour,2 
That  plesen  yow  wel  moore,  by  my  feith, 

Than  he  that  soothfastnesse  un-to  yow  seith,  — 
Redeth  Ecclesiaste  3  of  flaterye,  —  8941 

Beth  war,  ye  lordes,  of  hir  trecherye. 

This  Chauntecleer  stood  hye  up-on  his  toos 
Strecchynge  his  nekke,  and  heeld  hise  eyen 
cloos, 

And  gan  to  crowe  loude  for  the  nones, 

And  daun  Russell,4  the  fox,  stirte  up  atones, 
And  by  the  gargat 5  hente  Chauntecleer, 

And  on  his  bak  toward  the  wode  hym  beer  ; 
For  yet  ne  was  ther  no  man  that  hym  sewed.6 

O  destinee,  that  mayst  nat  been  eschewed  ! 
Allas,  that  Chauntecleer  fleigh  fro  the  bemes  ! 
Allas,  his  wyf  ne  roghte  nat  of  dremes  !  8952 

And  on  a  Friday  fil  al  this  meschaunce. 

O  Venus,  that  art  goddesse  of  plesaunce, 

Syn  that  thy  servant  was  this  Chauntecleer, 
And  in  thy  servyce  elide  al  his  poweer, 

1  Holy.  2  Liar.  3  Ecclesiastes.  4  So  called  from  his  russet 
color.  6  Throat.  6  Followed. 


“  WHAN  YLIOUN  WAS  WONNE.”  379 

Moore  for  delit  than  world  to  multiplye, 

Why  woltestow  suffre  hym  on  thy  day  1  to  dye  ? 

O  Gaufred,2  deere  maister  soverayn,  8959 
That,  whan  thy  worthy  kyng  Richard  was  slayn 
With  shot,  compleynedest  his  deeth  so  soere  ! 
Why  ne  hadde  I  now  thy  sentence,  and  thy 
loore,  ( 1 5»356  T-) 

The  Friday  for  to  chide,  as  diden  ye  ?  — 

For  on  a  Friday,  soothly,  slayn  was  he. 

Thanne  wolde  I  shewe  yow  how  that  I  koude 
pleyne 

For  Chauntecleres  drede,  and  for  his  peyne. 

Certes,  swich  cry,  ne  lamentacioun, 

Was  nevere  of  ladyes  maad  whan  Ylioun 
Was  wonne,  and  Pirrus,  with  his  streite  swerd, 
Whan  he  hadde  hent  kyng  Priam  by  the  berd, 
And  slayn  hym,  —  as  seith  us  Eneydos ,  —  8971 
As  maden  alle  the  hennes  in  the  clos, 

Whan  they  had  seyn  of  Chauntecleer  the  sighte. 
But  sovereynly  3  dame  Pertelote  shrighte, 

Ful  louder  than  dide  Flasdrubales  wyf, 

Whan  that  hir  housbonde  hadde  lost  his  lyf, 
And  that  the  Romayns  hadde  brend  Cartage,  — 
She  was  so  ful  of  torment  and  of  rage, 

That  wilfully  in-to  the  fyr  she  sterte, 

And  brende  hir-selven  with  a  stedefast  herte. 

O  woful  hennes,  right  so  criden  ye,  S981 
As,  whan  that  Nero  brende  the  citee 


1  Cf.  1.  1537.  2  It  is  Geoffrey  de  Vinsauf  (temp.  Richard  I.) 

whom  Chaucer  ridicules  here.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “sodeynly.” 


38O  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

Of  Rome,  cryden  senatours  wyves, 

For  that  hir  husbondes  losten  alle  hir  lyves 
With-outen  gilt,  —  this  Nero  hath  hem  slayn. 
Now  turne  I  wole  to  my  tale  agayn. 

This  sely  wydwe,  and  eek  hir  doghtres  two, 
Herden  thise  hennes  crie  and  maken  wo, 

And  out  at  dores  stirten  they  anon, 

And  syen  the  fox  toward  the  grove  gon,  8990 
And  bar  up-on  his  bak  the  cok  away, 

And  cryden  out,  “  Harrow  !  and  weylaway  ! 

Ha  !  ha  !  the  fox  !  ”  and  after  hym  they  ran, 
And  eek  with  staves  many  another  man  ; 

Ran  Colie,  oure  dogge,  and  Talbot,  andGerland, 
And  Malkyn,  with  a  dystaf  in  hir  hand ; 

Ran  cow  and  calf,  and  eek  1  the  verray  hogges, 
For2  fered  for  berkynge  of  the  dogges, 

And  shoutyng  of  the  men  and  wommen  eek  ; 
They  ronne  so  hem  though te  hir  herte  breek. 
They  yolleden,  as  feendes  doon  in  helle  ;  9001 
The  dokes  cryden,  as  men  wolde  hem  quelle;3 
The  gees,  for  feere,  flowen  over  the  trees ; 

Out  of  the  hyve  cam  the  swarm  of  bees  ; 

So  hydous  was  the  noyse,  a  benedicitee ! 

Certes,  he  Jakke  Straw,  and  his  meynee,4 
Ne  made  nevere  shoutes  half  so  shrille, 

Whan  that  they  wolden  any  Flemyng  kille, 

As  thilke  day  was  maad  up-on  the  fox.  9009 
Of  bras  they  broghten  bemes,5  and  of  box, 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  so  fered.”  8  Kill. 
4  Followers.  6  Horns,  trumpets.  Cf.  Par  lenient  of  Foules,  178. 


“they  blewe  and  powped.”  381 

Of  horn,  of  boon,  in  whiche  they  blewe  and 
powped,  (15*405  t.) 

And  ther-with-al  they  skriked  and  they  howped;1 
It  semed  as  that  hevene  sholde  falle. 

Now,  goode  men,  I  pray  yow  herkneth  alle ; 
Lo,  how  Fortune  turneth  sodeynly 
The  hope  and  pryde  of  hir  enemy ! 

This  cok,  that  lay  upon  the  foxes  bak, 

In  al  his  drede  un-to  the  fox  he  spak, 

And  seyde,  “  Sire,  if  that  I  were  as  ye, 

Yet  wolde  I  seyn,  as  wys  God  helpe  me,  9020 
‘Turneth  agayn,  ye  proude  cherles  alle  ! 

A  verray  pestilence  up-on  yow  falle  ; 

Now  am  I  come  un-to  the  wodes  syde, 

Maugree  youre  heed,  the  cok  shal  heere  abyde  ; 
I  wol  hym  ete  in  feith,  and  that  anon  !  ’  ” 

The  fox  answerde,  “  In  feith  it  shal  be  don ;  ” 
And  as  he  spak  that  word,  al  sodeynly 
This  cok  brak  from  his  mouth  delyverly,2 
And  heighe  up-on  a  tree  he  fleigh  anon  ;  9029 
And  whan  the  fox  saugh  that  he  was  ygon,  — 

“  Allas  !  ”  quod  he,  “  O  Chauntecleer,  alias  ! 
I  have  to  yow,”  quod  he,  “  ydoon  trespas, 

In  as  muche  as  I  maked  yow  aferd, 

Whan  I  yow  hente  and  broght  out  of  the  3  yerd  ; 
But,  sire,  I  dide  it  of  no  wikke  entente. 

Com  doun,  and  I  shal  telle  yow  what  I  mente  ; 
I  shal  seye  sooth  to  yow,  God  help  me  so !  ” 
“Nay  thanne,”  quod  he,  “I  shrewe  us  bothe 
two, 

1  Whooped.  2  With  agility.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “into  this.” 


382  THE  NUN’S  PRIEST’S  TALE. 

And  first  I  shrewe  my  self,  bothe  blood  and 
bones, 

If  thou  bigyle  me  any  ofter  than  ones.  9040 
Thou  shalt  na  moore,  thurgh  thy  flaterye, 

Do  1  me  to  synge,  and  wynke  with  myn  eye, 

For  he  that  wynketh,  whan  he  sholde  see, 

A1  wilfully,  God  lat  him  nevere  thee  !  ”  2 

“Nay,”  quod  the  fox,  “but  God  geve  hym 
meschaunce, 

That  is  so  un  discreet  of  governaunce 

That  jangleth  whan  he  sholde  holde  his  pees.” 

Lo,  swich  it  is  for  to  be  recchelees, 

And  necligent,  and  truste  on  flaterye. 

But  ye  that  holden  this  tale  a  folye,  —  9°5° 

As  of  a  fox,  or  of  a  cok  and  hen,  — 

Taketh  the  moralite,  goode  men  ; 

For  Seint  Paul  seith  that  al  that  writen  is, 

To  oure  doctrine  it  is  ywrite  ywis ;  (15,448  t.) 

Taketh  the  fruyt  and  lat  the  chaf  be  stille. 

Now,  goode  God,  if  that  it  be  thy  wille, 

As  seith  my  lord,  so  make  us  alle  goode  men, 
And  brynge  us  to  his  heighe  blisse  !  A?nen. 

Words  of  the  Host  to  the  Nun’s  Priest? 

“  Sire  Nonnes  Preest,”  oure  Hooste  seide 
anon, 

“  I-blessed  be  thy  breche  and  every  stone  ! 


1  Cause.  2  Thrive.  3  These  lines  are  from  Camb.  Univ.  MS. 
Dd  4,  24.  Notin  Elies.  MS. 


THE  DOCTOR’S  TALE.  383 

This  was  a  murie  tale  of  Chaunticleer  ;  9061 

But,  by  my  trouthe,  if  thou  were  seculer, 

Thou  woldest  ben  a  tredefoul  aright ; 

For  if  thou  have  corage,  as  thou  hast  might, 
The  were  nede  of  hennes,  as  I  wene, 

Ye,  mo  than  sevene  tymes  seventene  ! 

Se,  which  braunes  hath  this  gentil  preest, 

So  gret  a  nekke,  and  swich  a  large  breest ! 

He  loketh  as  a  sparhawke  with  hise  eyen ; 

Him  nedeth  nat  his  colour  for  to  dyghen  9070 
With  Brasile,  ne  with  greyn  1  of  Portyngale. 
Now,  sire,  faire  falle  yow  for  youre  tale.” 

And  after  that,  he  with  ful  merie  chere 
Seide  un-to  another  as  ye  shuln  heere. 

End  of  the  Tales  of  the  Second  Day  .2 


TALES  OF  THE  THIRD  DAY. 

Heere  folweth  The  Phisiciens  Tale. 

Ther  was,  as  telleth  Titus  Livius,8  (1 1,935  t.) 
A  knyght  that  called  was  Virginius, 

Fulfild  of  honour  and  of  worthynesse, 

And  strong  of  freendes  and  of  greet  richesse. 


1  Cf.l.  6339.  2  See  preliminary  chapter  for  remarks  on  the  conject¬ 
ural  arrangement  of  the  Tales.  8  Livy  was  the  original  author  of 
this  tale,  but  it  is  clear  that  he  is  not  copied  by  Chaucer.  Other  ver¬ 
sions  were  extant,  in  French  and  English;  the  one  in  the  Romaunt 
0/  the  Rose  has  more  resemblance  to  the  one  in  the  text  than  the 
others.  It  is  also  in  Gower’s  Confessio  A  mantis. 


384  the  doctor’s  tale. 

This  knyght  a  doghter  hadde  by  his  wyf,  — 
No  children  hadde  he  mo  in  al  his  lyf.  9080 
Fair  was  this  mayde  in  excellent  beautee 
Aboven  every  wight  that  man  may  see  ; 

For  Nature  hath  with  sovereyn  diligence 
Yformed  hire  in  so  greet  excellence, 

As  though  she  wolde  seyn,  “  Lo,  I,  Nature, 
Thus  kan  I  forme,  and  peynte  a  creature, 
Whan  that  me  list,  —  who  kan  me  countrefete  ? 
Pigmalion  ?  Noght,  though  he  ay  forge  and  bete, 
Or  grave,  or  peynte  ;  for  I  dar  wel  seyn 
Apelles,  Zanzis  1  sholcle  werche  in  veyn,  9090 
Outher  to  grave,  or  peynte,  or  forge,  or  bete, 

If  they  presumed  me  to  countrefete.  (11,952  T.) 
For  He  that  is  the  Formere  principal 
Hath  maked  me  his  vicaire-general 
To  forme  and  peynten  erthely  creaturis 
Right  as  me  list,  and  ech  thyng  in  my  cure  is 
Under  the  moone  that  may  wane  and  waxe  ; 
And  for  my  werk  right  no  thyng  wol  I  axe  ; 

My  lord  and  I  been  ful  of  oon  accord. 

I  made  hire  to  the  worshipe  of  my  lord;  9100 
So  do  I  alle  myne  othere  creatures, 

What  colour  that  they  han,  or  what  figures.” 
Thus  semeth  me  that  Nature  wolde  seye. 

This  mayde  of  age  twelve  yeer  was  and  tweye, 
In  which  that  Nature  hadde  swich  debt; 

For,  right  as  she  kan  peynte  a  lilie  whit, 

1  Other  MSS.  have  “  Zephirus,”  but  see  Troylus,  iv.  414,  where 
Zanzis  is  again  mentioned. 


Virginia’s  beauty  and  virtue.  385 

And  reed  1  a  rose,  right  with  swich  peynture 
She  peynted  hath  this  noble  creature 
Er  she  were  born  up-on  hir  lymes  fre, 

Where  as  by  right  swiche  colours  sholde  be ; 
And  Phebus  dyed  hath  hire  treses  grete  91 11 
Lyk  to  the  stremes  of  his  burned  heete  ; 

And  if  that  excellent  was  hire  beautee, 

A  thousand  foold  moore  vertuous  was  she. 

In  hire  ne  lakked  no  condicioun 
That  is  to  preyse,  as  by  discrecioun. 

As  wel  in  goost,  as  body,  chast  was  she, 

For  which  she  floured  in  virginitee 
With  alle  humylitee  and  abstinence, 

With  alle  attemperaunce  and  pacience,  9x20 
With  mesure  eek  of  beryng  and  array. 

Discreet  she  was  in  answeryng  alway, 

Though  she  were  wise  as  Pallas,  dar  I  seyn  ; 
Hir  facound  2  eek,  ful  wommanly  and  pleyn  ; 
No  countrefeted  termes  hadde  she 
To  seme  wys  ;  but  after  hir  degree 
She  spak,  and  alle  hire  wordes  moore  and  lesse 
Sownynge  3  in  vertu  and  in  gentillesse  ; 
Shamefast  she  was,  in  maydens  shamefastnesse, 
Constant  in  herte,  and  evere  in  bisynesse  9130 
To  dryve  hire  out  of  ydel  slogardye. 

Bacus4  hadde  of  hire  mouth  right  no  maistrie, 
For  wyn  and  youthe  dooth  Venus  encresse ; 

As  man  in  fyr  wol  wasten  oille  or  greesse. 

And  of  hir  owene  vertu  unconstreyned 

1  'Make  red.  2  Speech.  3  Tending  to.  Cf.  1.  307.  4  Bacchus. 
VOL.  I.  25 


386  the  doctor’s  tale. 

She  hath  ful  ofte  tyme  syk  hire  feyned, 

For.  that  she  wolde  fleen  the  compaignye 
Where  likly  was  to  treten  of  folye,  — 

As  is  at  feestes,  revels,  and  at  daunces, 

That  been  occasions  of  daliaunces.  9140 

Swich  thyng  maken  children  for  to  be 
To  soone  rype  and  boolcl,  as  men  may  se, 
Which  is  ful  perilous,  and  hath  been  yoore, 

For  al  to  soone  may  they  lerne  loore  (12,004  T-) 
Of  booldnesse,  whan  she  woxen  is  a  wyf. 

And  ye  maistresses,  in  youre  olde  lyf, 

That  lordes  doghtres  han  in  governaunce, 

Ne  taketh  of  my  wordes  no  displesaunce  ; 
Thenketh  that  ye  been  set  in  governynges 
Of  lordes  doghtres,  oonly  for  two  thynges  : 
Outher  for  ye  han  kept  youre  honestee,  9151 
Or  elles  ye  han  falle  in  freletee, 

And  knowen  wel  ynough  the  olde  daunce, 

And  han  forsaken  fully  swich  meschaunce 
For  everemo,  therfore  for  Cristes  sake 
To  teche  hem  vertu  looke  that  ye  ne  slake. 

A  theef  of  venysoun,  that  hath  forlaft 
Flis  likerousnesse  and  al  his  olde  craft, 

Kan  kepe  a  forest  best  of  any  man  ; 

Now  kepeth  wel,  for  if  ye  wolde  ye  kan  ;  9160 
Looke  wel  that  ye  un-to  no  vice  assente, 

Lest  ye  be  dampned  for  youre  wikke  entente  ; 
For  who  so  dooth  a  traitour  is  certeyn  ; 

And  taketh  kepe  of  that  that  I  shal  seyn ; 

Of  alle  tresons,  sovereyn  pestilence 

Is  whan  a  wight  bitravseth  innocence. 

0  * 


PARENTS,  BEWARE  !  387 

Ye  fadres  and  ye  moodres  eek,  also, 

Though  ye  han  children,  be  it  oon  or  two, 
Youre  is  the  charge  of  al  hir  surveiaunce  9169 
Whil  that  they  been  under  youre  governaunce  ; 
Beth  war,  if  by  ensample  of  youre  lyvynge, 

Or  by  youre  necligence  in  chastisynge, 

That  they  perisse  ;  for  I  dar  wel  seye, 

If  that  they  doon,  ye  shul  it  deere  abeye. 
Under  a  shepherde  softe  and  necligent 
The  wolf  hath  many  a  sheepe  and  lamb  to-rent. 
Sufhseth  oon  ensample  now  as  heere, 

For  I  moot  turne  agayne  to  my  matere.1 

This  mayde,  of  which  I  wol  this  tale  expresse, 
So  kepte  hir  self  hir  neded  no  maistresse  ;  9180 
For  in  hir  lyvyng  maydens  myghten  rede, 

As  in  a  book,  every  good  word  or  dede 
That  longeth  to  a  mayden  vertuous, 

She  was  so  prudent  and  so  bounteuous  ; 

For  which  the  fame  out  sprong  on  every  syde, 
Bothe  of  hir  beautee  and  hir  bountee  2  wyde, 
That  thurgh  that  land  they  preised  hire  echone 
That  loved  vertu,  save  Envye  allone, 

That  sory  is  of  oother  mennes  wele, 

And  glad  is  of  his  sorwe  and  his  unheele ; 3 
The  doctour4  maketh  this  descripcioun.  9191 

This  mayde  up-on  a  day  wente  in  the  toun 
Toward  a  temple,  with  hire  mooder  deere, 

As  is  of  yonge  maydens  the  manere. 


1  Lines  9177,  9178  are  not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Goodness.  3  Mis¬ 
fortune.  4  St.  Augustine.  Cf.  Parson's  Tale,  1.  18,175. 


388  THE  DOCTOR’S  TALE. 

Now  was  ther  thanne  a  justice  in  that  toun, 
That  governour  was  of  that  regioun,  (12,056  t.) 
And  so  bifel  this  juge  hise  eyen  caste 
Up-on  this  mayde,  avysynge  1  her 2  ful  faste 
As  she  cam  forby,  ther  as  this  juge  stood. 

Anon  his  herte  chaunged  and  his  mood,  9200 
So  was  he  caught  with  beautee  of  this  mayde, 
And  to  hym-self  ful  pryvely  he  sayde, 

“  This  mayde  shal  be  myn,  for  any  man  !  ” 
Anon  the  feend  in-to  his  herte  ran, 

And  taughte  hym  sodeynly  that  he  by  slyghte 
The  mayden  to  his  purpos  Wynne  myghte ; 

For  certes,  by  no  force,  ne  by  no  meede,3 
Hym  thoughte,  he  was  nat  able  for  to  speede, 
For  she  was  strong  of  freendes,  and  eek  she 
Confermed  was  in  swich  soverayn  bountee, 
That  wel  he  wiste  he  myghte  hire  nevere  Wynne 
As  for  to  maken  hire  with  hir  body  synne  ; 

For  which,  by  greet  deliberacioun  9213 

He  sente  after  a  cherl4  was  in  the  toun, 

Which  that  he  knew  for  subtil  and  for  boold. 
This  juge  un-to  this  cherl  his  tale  hath  toold 
In  secree  wise,  and  made  hym  to  ensure 
He  sholde  telle  it  to  no  creature, 

And  if  he  dide  he  sholde  lese  5  his  heed. 

Whan  that  assented  was  this  cursed  reed  6  9220 
Glad  was  this  juge,  and  maked  him  greet 
cheere, 

And  gaf  hym  giftes,  preciouse  and  deere. 

1  Observing.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  hym.”  3  Bribery.  4  Some  MSS. 
have  “clerk.”  5  Lose.  u  Counsel. 


“THE  CHERL  THAT  HIGHTE  CLAUDIUS.”  389 

Whan  shapen  was  al  hire  conspiracie, 

Fro  point  to  point,  how  that  his  lecherie 
Parfourned  sholde  been  ful  subtilly, 

As  ye  shul  heere  it  after  openly, 

Hoorn  gooth  the  cherl  that  highte  Claudius. 
This  false  juge  that  highte  Apius,  — 

So  was  his  name,  for  this  is  no  fable, 

But  knowen  for  historial  thyng  notable  ;  9230 

The  sentence  of  it  sooth  is,  out  of  doute,  — 
This  false  juge  gooth  now  faste  aboute 
To  hasten  his  debt  al  that  he  may  ; 

And  so  bifel  soone  after  on  a  day, 

This  false  juge,  as  telleth  us  the  storie, 

As  he  was  wont,  sat  in  his  consistorie,1 
And  gaf  his  doomes  up-on  sondry  cas, 

This  false  cherl  cam  forth,  a  ful  greet  pas,2 
And  seyde,  “  Lord,  if  that  it  be  youre  wille, 

As  dooth  me  right  up-on  this  pitous  bille,  9240 
In  which  I  pleyne  3  up-on  Virginius  ; 

And  if  that  he  wol  seyn  it  is  nat  thus, 

I  wol  it  preeve,  and  fynde  good  witnesse 
That  sooth  is  that  my  bille  wol  expresse.” 

The  juge  answerde,  “  Of  this  in  his  absence 
I  may  nat  geve  diffynytyve  sentence  ;  (12,106  T.) 
Lat  do  hym  calle,  and  I  wol  gladly  heere  ; 
Thou  shalt  have  al  right  and  no  wrong  heere.” 

Virginius  cam  to  wite  the  juges  wille, 

And  right  anon  was  rad  this  cursed  bille  ^9250 
The  sentence  of  it  was  as  ye  shul  heere  :  — 

1  Court  of  justice.  2  Rapidly.  3  Complain. 


390  the  doctor’s  tale. 

To  yow ,  my  lord,  sire  Apius  so  deere , 

Sheweth  yonre  povre  servant  Claudius , 

How  that  a  knyght  called  Virginias, 

Agayns  the  lawe,  agayn  al  equitee, 

Holdeth  expres  agayn  the  wyl  of  me 
My  servant,  which  that  is  my  thral  by  right,  • 
Which  fro  my  hous  was  stole  up-on  a  nyght , 

Whil  that  she  was  ful  yong ;  this  wol  I preeve 
By  witness e,  lord, ’  so  that  it  nat  yow  greeve. 

She  nys  his  doghter,  nat  what  so  heseye ;  9261 

Wherfore  to  yow,  my  lord,  the  juge,  I prey e, 

Yeld  me  my  thral,  if  that  it  be  youre  wille. 

Lo,  this  was  al  the  sentence  of  his  bille. 

Virginius  gan  up-on  the  cherl  biholde. 

But  hastily,  er  he  his  tale  tolde, 

And  wolde  have  preeved  it,  as  sholde  a  knyght, 
And  eek  by  witnessyng  of  many  a  wight, 

That  it  was  fals  that  seyde  his  adversarie  ; 

This  cursed  juge  wolde  no  thyng  tarie,  9270 
Ne  heere  a  word  moore  of  Virginius, 

But  gaf  his  juggement,  and  seyde  thus  :  — 

“  I  deeme  anon  this  cherl  his  servant  have  ; 
Thou  shalt  no  lenger  in  thyn  hous  hir  save. 

Go,  bryng  hire  forth,  and  put  hire  in  oure 
warde. 

The  cherl  shal  have  his  thral ;  this  I  awarded’ 
And  whan  this  worthy  knyght,  Virginius, 
Thurgh  sentence  of  this  justice  Apius 
Moste  by  force  his  deere  doghter  geven 
Un-to  the  juge,  in  lecherie  to  lyven,  9280 


“O  MERCY,  DEERE  FADER!”  39I 

He  gooth  hym  hoom  and  sette  him  in  his  halle, 
And  leet  anon  his  deere  doghter  calle, 

And  with  a  face  deed  as  asshen  colde, 

Upon  hir  humble  face  he  gan  biholde 
With  fadres  pitee  stikynge  thurgh  his  herte, 

A1  wolde  he  from  his  purpos  nat  converte. 

“  Doghter,”  quod  he,  “Virginia  by  thy  name, 
Ther  been  two  weyes,  outher  deeth  or  shame, 
That  thou  most  suffre  ;  alias !  that  I  was  bore  ! 
For  nevere  thou  deservedest  wherfore  9290 
To  dyen  with  a  swerd,  or  with  a  knyf. 

O  deere  doghter,  endere  of  my  lyf, 

Which  I  have  fostred  up  with  swich  plesaunce 
That  thou  were  nevere  out  of  my  remem- 
braunce ;  (12,154  t.) 

O  doghter,  which  that  art  my  laste  wo, 

And  in  my  lyf  my  laste  joye  also  ; 

O  gemme  of  chastitee  !  in  pacience 
Take  thou  thy  deeth,  for  this  is  my  sentence. 
For  love,  and  nat  for  hate,  thou  most  be  deed; 
My  pitous  hand  moot  smyten  of  thyn  heed  ! 
Allas  !  that  evere  Apius  the  say  !  93° 1 

Thus  hath  he  falsly  jugged  the  to  day  ;  ” 

And  tolde  hire  al  the  cas,  as  ye  bifore 
Han  herd,  nat  nedeth  for  to  telle  it  moore. 

“  O  mercy,  deere  fader  !  ”  quod  this  mayde, 
And  with  that  word  she  both  hir  armes  layde 
About  his  nekke,  as  she  was  wont  to  do  ; 

The  teeris  bruste  out  of  hir  eyen  two, 

And  seyde,  “  Goode  fader,  shal  I  dye  ? 

Is  ther  no  grace,  is  ther  no  remedye  ?  ” 


9310 


392 


THE  DOCTOR’S  TALE. 


“  No,  certes,  deere  doghter  myn,”  quod  he. 

“  Thanne  gif  me  leyser,  fader  myn,”  quod  she, 
“  My  deeth  for  to  compleyne  a  litel  space, 

For  pardee  Jepte  gaf  his  doghter  grace 
For  to  compleyne,  er  he  hir  slow,  alias  ! 

And  God  it  woot,  no  thyng  was  hir  trespas, 
But  for  she  ran  hir  fader  for  to  see, 

To  welcome  hym  with  greet  solempnitee.” 

And  with  that  word  she  fil  aswowne  anon, 

And  after,  whan  hir  swowning  is  agon,  9320 
She  riseth  up,  and  to  hir  fader  sayde, 

“  Blissed  be  God,  that  I  shal  dye  a  mayde ; 

Gif  me  my  deeth,  er  that  I  have  a  shame ; 
Dooth  with  youre  child  youre  wyl,  a  Goddes 
name  !  ” 

And  with  that  word  she  preyed  hym  ful  ofte 
That  with  his  swerd  he  wolde  smyte  softe ; 

And  with  that  word  aswowne  doun  she  fil. 

Hir  fader,  with  ful  sorweful  herte  and  wil, 

Hir  heed  of  smoot,  and  by  the  tope  it  hente, 
And  to  the  juge  he  gan  it  to  presente,  9 330 

As  he  sat  yet  in  doom  in  consistorie  ; 

And  whan  the  juge  it  saugh,  as  seith  the  storie, 
He  bad  to  take  hym  and  anhange  hym  faste  ; 
But  right  anon  a  thousand  peple  in  thraste, 

To  save  the  knyght,  for  routhe  and  for  pitee, 
For  knowen  was  the  false  iniquitee. 

The  peple  anon  hath  suspect  of  this  thyng, 

By  manere  of  the  cherles  chalangyng, 

That  it  was  by  the  assent  of  Apius  ; 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST.  393 

They  wisten  wel  that  he  was  lecherus,  9340 
For  which  un-to  this  Apius  they  gon, 

And  caste  hym  in  a  prisoun  right  anon, 

Ther  as  he  slow  hym  self ;  and  Claudius, 

That  servant  was  un-to  this  Apius, 

And  demed  for  to  hange  upon  a  tree ; 

But  that  Virginius,  of  his  pitee,  (12,206  T.) 
So  preyde  for  hym  that  he  was  exiled, 

And  elles,  certes,  he  had  been  bigyled. 

The  remenant  were  anhanged,  moore  and  lesse, 
That  were  consentant  of  this  cursednesse.  9350 
Heere  men  may  seen  how  synne  hath  his 
me  rite.1 

Beth  war,  for  no  man  woot  whom  God  wol  smyte, 
In  no  degree  ;  ne  in  which  manere  wyse 
The  worm  of  conscience  may  agryse  2 
Of  wikked  lyf,  though  it  so  pryvee  be 
That  no  man  woot  ther-of  but  God  and  he  ; 

For  be  he  lewed  3  man,  or  ellis  lered,4 
He  noot  how  soone  that  he  shal  been  afered ; 5 
Therfore,  I  rede  yow,  this  conseil  take,  9359 
Forsaketh  synne ,  er  synne  yow  forsake?  (12,220  t.) 

The  wordes  of  the  Hoost  to  the  Phisicien  and  the 
Pardoner. 

Oure  Hooste  gan  to  swere  as  he  were  wood  ; 
“  Harrow  !  ”  quod  he,  “  by  nayles,7  and  by 
blood!  (12,222  T.) 

1  Reward.  2  Make  shudder.  3  Ignorant.  4  Learned.  6  Fright¬ 
ened.  *  Cf.  1.  18,336.  7  Nails  of  the  cross. 


394 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST. 


This  was  a  fals  cherl  and  a  fals  justise  ! 

As  shameful  deeth  as  herte  may  devyse 
Come  to  thise  juges,1  and  hire  advocatz  ! 

Algate  2  this  sely  mayde  is  slayn,  alias  ! 

Allas !  to  deere  boughte  she  beautee  ! 

Wherfore  I  seye  al  day,  as  men  may  see, 

That  giftes  of  Fortune  and  of  Nature 

Been  cause  of  deeth  to  many  a  creature.  9370 

Hire  beautee  was  hire  deth,  I  dar  wel  sayn ; 

Allas  !  so  pitously  as  she  was  slayn  ! 3 

Of  bothe  giftes  that  I  speke  of  now 

Men  han  ful  ofte  moore  for  harm  than  prow.4 

“  But  trewely,  myn  owene  maister  deere, 

This  is  a  pitous  tale  for  to  heere  ; 

But  nathelees,  passe  over,  is  no  fors,5 
I  pray  to  God  so  save  thy  gen  til  cors, 

And  eek  thyne  urynals,  and  thy  jurdones,6 
Thyn  Ypocras,7  and  eek  thy  Galiones,7  9380 
And  every  boyste  8  ful  of  thy  letuarie  ;  9 
God  blesse  hem,  and  oure  lady  Seint  Marie  ! 

So  moot  I  theen,10  thou  art  a  propre  man, 

And  lyk  a  prelat,  by  Seint  Ronyan  ! 

Seyde  I  nat  wel,  I  kan  nat  speke  in  terme  ? 11 
But  wel  I  woot  thou  doost 12  myn  herte  to  erme 13 
That  I  almoost  have  caught  a  cardynacle.14 
By  corpus  bones  !  but  I  have  triacle,16 

1  Elies.  MS.  lias  “false  juges”  2  However.  3  Lines  9371,  9372 
not  in  Elies.  MS.  4  Profit.  5  Consequence.  6  Jordens.  7  Bev¬ 
erages  named  after  Hippocrates  and  Galen.  8  Box.  9  Electuary. 
Cf.  1.  426.  19  Thrive.  11  Elaborately.  12  Causest.  13  Grieve. 

14  Heartache.  18  Remedy;  properly,  TJteriaca  Andromachi,  a 
compound  remedy  and  antidote,  invented  by  Andromachus  the 
Elder,  physician  to  Nero,  containing  the  dried  flesh  of  vipers,  and 
many  other  ingredients. 


THE  PARDONER’S  PREAMBLE.  395 

Or  elles  a  draughte  of  moyste  and  corny  ale, 
Or  but  I  heere  anon  a  myrie  tale,  939° 

Myn  herte  is  lost,  for  pitee  of  this  mayde. 

Thou  beel  amyp  thou  Pardoner,”  he  sayde, 
“Telle  us  som  myrthe,  or  japes,  right  anon  !  ” 
“It  shal  be  doon,”  quod  he,  “by  Seint  Ron- 
yon  !  (12,254  T.) 

But  first,”  quod  he,  “  heere  at  this  ale  stake  2 
I  wol  bothe  drynke  and  eten  of  a  cake.” 

And  right  anon  the  gentils  gonne  to  crye, 

“  Nay !  lat  hym  telle  us  of  no  ribaudye  ; 

Telle  us  som  moral  thyng,  that  we  may  leere  8 
Som  wit,  and  thanne  wol  we  gladly  heere.” 

“  I  graunte,  ywis,”  quod  he,  “  but  I  moot 
thynke  9401 

Up-on  som  honeste  thyng,  while  that  I  drynke.” 

Heere  folweth  The  Preamble  of  the  Pardoners 

Tale. 

“  Lordynges,”  quod  he,  “  in  chirches  whan  I 
preche,  (12,263  t.) 

I  peyne  me  to  han  an  hauteyn  4  speche, 

And  rynge  it  out  as  round  as  gooth  a  belle, 

For  I  kan  6  al  by  rote  that  I  telle. 

My  theme  is  alwey  oon,  and  evere  was,  — 
Radix  malorum  est  Cupiditas .6 

“  First,  I  pronounce  whennes  that  I  come, 

1  Good  friend.  2  From  which  the  “  bush  ”  was  suspended,  at  the 
ale  house.  Cf.  1.  667.  3  Learn.  *  Lofty.  8  Know.  6  Avarice  is 
the  root  of  evils.  Cf.  1.  710. 


39 6  the  pardoner’s  preamble. 

And  thanne  my  bulles  shewe  I  alle  and  some  ; 
Oure  lige  lordes  1  seel  on  my  patente,  9411 
That  shewe  I  first,  my  body  to  warente, 

That  no  man  be  so  boold,  ne  preest  ne  clerk, 
Me  to  destourbe  of  Cristes  hooly  werk  ; 

And  after  that  thanne  telle  I  forth  my  tales, 
Bulles  of  popes  and  of  cardynales, 

Of  patriarkes  and  bishoppes  I  shewe, 

And  in  Latyn  I  speke  a  wordes  fewe . 

To  saffron  with  2  my  predicacioun, 

And  for  to  stire  hem  to  devocioun  ;  9420 

Thanne  shewe  I  forth  my  longe  cristal  stones 
Ycrammed  ful  of  cloutes  and  of  bones, — 
Relikes  been  they,  as  wenen  they  echoon  ; 
Thanne  have  I  in  latoun  3  a  sholder  boon  4 
Which  that  was  of  an  hooly  Jewes  sheepe. 

“  ‘  Goode  men,’  I  seye,  ‘  taak  of  my  wordes 
keepe,  — 

If  that  this  boon  be  wasshe  in  any  welle, 

If  cow,  or  calf,  or  sheepe,  or  oxe  swelle 
That  any  worm  hath  ete,  or  worm  ystonge, 
Taak  water  of  that  welle  and  wassh  his  tonge, 
And  it  is  hool  anon  ;  and  forthermoor  9431 
Of  pokkes,  and  of  scabbe,  and  every  soor, 

Shal  every  sheepe  be  hool  that  of  this  welle 
Drynketh  a  draughte.  Taak  kepe  eek  what  I 
telle. 

“  ‘  If  that  the  goode  man  that  the  beestes 
oweth  5 

1  The  Pope’s.  2  To  spice  or  color  my  sermon  with.  3  Brass. 
*  Cf.  1.  18,846.  5  Owneth. 


THE  PARDONER  HOLDS  FORTH.  397 

Wol  every  wyke,1  er  that  the  cok  hym  croweth, 
Fastynge,  drinke  of  this  welle  a  draughte, 

As  thilke  hooly  Jew  oure  eldres  taughte, 

Hise  beestes  and  his  stoor  shal  multiplie. 

‘“And,  sires,  also  it  heeleth  jalousie,  9440 
For  though  a  man  be  falle  in  jalous  rage, 

Lat  maken  with  this  water  his  potage, 

And  nevere  shal  he  inoore  his  wyf  mystriste, 
Though  he  the  soothe  of  hir  defaute  wiste,  — 
A1  had  she  taken  preestes  2  two  or  thre. 

Fleere  is  a  miteyn  eek,  that  ye  may  se  ; 

He  that  his  hand  wol  putte  in  this  mitayn, 

He  shal  have  multipliyng  of  his  grayn, 

Whan  he  hath  sowen,  be  it  whete  or  otes, 

So  that  he  offre3  pens,  or  elles  grotes.  945° 
“  ‘Goode  men  and  womrnen,  o  thyng  warne 
I  yow,  (12,311  T.) 

If  any  wight  be  in  this  chirche  now 
That  hath  doon  synne  horrible  that  he 
Dar  nat  for  shame  of  it  yshryven  be, 

Or  any  womman,  be  she  yong  or  old, 

That  hath  ymaked  hir  housbonde  cokewold, 
Swich  folk  shal  have  no  power  ne  no  grace 
To  offren  to  my  relikes  in  this  place  ; 

And  who-so  fyndeth  hym  out  of  swich  fame 
They  wol  come  up  and  offre  on  Goddes  name, 
And  I  assoille  4  hem  by  the  auctoritee  9461 
Which  that  by  bulle  ygraunted  was  to  me.’ 


1  Week.  2  Not  pardoners,  of  course,  but  secular  clerics.  8  Con¬ 
tribute.  4  Absolve. 


398  THE  PARDONER’S  PREAMBLE. 

“  By  this  gaude  have  I  wonne,  yeer  by  yeer, 
An  hundred  mark  sith  I  was  Pardoner. 

I  stonde  lyk  a  clerk  in  my  pulpet, 

And  whan  the  lewed  1  peple  is  doun  yset, 

I  preche  so  as  ye  han  herd  bifoore, 

And  telle  an  hundred  false  japes  moore  ; 
Thanne  peyne  I  me  to  strecche  forth  the  nekke, 
And  est  and  west  up-on  the  peple  I  bekke, 

As  dooth  a  dowve,  sittynge  on  a  berne ;  9471 

Myne  handes  and  my  tonge  goon  so  yerne,2 
That  it  is  joye  to  se  my  bisynesse. 

Of  avarice  and  of  swich  cursednesse 
Is  al  my  prechyng,  for  to  make  hem  free 
To  geven  hir  pens,  and  namely 8  un-to  me  ; 

For  myn  entente  is  nat  but  for  to  Wynne, 

And  no  thyng  for  correccioun  of  synne. 

I  rekke  nevere  whan  that  they  been  beryed, 
Though  that  hir  soules  ‘goon  a  blakeberyed ;  ’ 4 
For  certes  many  a  predicacioun  9481 

Comth  ofte  tyme  of  yvel  entencioun  ; 

Som  for  plesaunce  of  folk  and  flaterye, 

To  been  avaunced  by  ypocrisye  ; 

And  som  for  veyne  glorie,  and  som  for  hate, 
For  whan  I  dar  noon  oother  weyes  debate, 
Thanne  wol  I  stynge  hym  with  my  tonge 
smerte 

In  prechyng,  so  that  he  shal  nat  asterte  5 
To  been  defamed  falsly,  if  that  he 


1  Lay,  ignorant.  -  Briskly.  3  Especially.  4  Where  it  may  be. 
For  construction,  cf.  11.  10,396,  16,356.  6  Escape. 


“though  my-self  be  gilty.”  399 

Hath  trespasecl  to  my  bretheren  or  to  me  ; 

For  though  I  telle  noght  his  propre  name,  9491 
Men  shal  wel  knowe  that  it  is  the  same, 

By  signes,.  and  by  othere  circumstances. 

Thus  quyte  1  I  folk  that  doon  us  displesances  ; 
Thus  spitte  I  out  my  venym  under  hewe 
Of  hoolynesse,  to  semen  hooly  and  trevve. 

“  But,  shortly,  myn  entente  I  wol  devyse,  — 
I  preche  of  no  thyng  but  for  coveityse ; 
Therfore  my  theme  is  yet  and  evere  was, 

Radix  malorum  est  Cupiditas.  (12,360  t.) 

Thus  kan  I  preche  agayn  that  same  vice  9501 
Which  that  I  use,  and  that  is  avarice  ; 

But  though  my-self  be  gilty  in  that  synne 
Yet  kan  I  maken  oother  folk  to  twynne  2 
From  avarice,  and  soore  to  repente  ; 

But  that  is  nat  my  principal  entente,  — 

I  preche  no  thyng  but  for  coveitise. 

Of  this  mateere  it  oghte  ynogh  suffise. 

“Thanne  telle  I  hem  ensamples  many  oon 
Of  olde  stories  longe  tyme  agoon,  —  95 10 

For  lewed  peple  loven  tales  olde,  — 

Swiche  thynges  kan  they  wel  reporte  and 
holde. 

What !  trowe  ye  the  whiles  I  may  preche, 

And  wynne  gold  and  silver  for  I  teche, 

That  I  wol  lyve  in  poverte  wilfully  ? 

Nay,  nay,  I  thoghte  it  nevere,  trewely, 

For  I  wol  preche  and  begge  in  sondry  landes  ; 


1  Requite,  pay.  2  Separate. 


400  THE  PARDONER’S  TALE. 

I  wol  nat  do  no  labour  with  myne  handes, 

Ne  make  baskettes  1  and  lyve  therby,  • 

By  cause  I  wol  nat  beggen  ydelly.  95 20 

I  wol  noon  of  the  Apostles  countrefete, 

I  wol  have  moneie,  wolle,  chese  and  whete, 

A1  were  it  geven  of  the  povereste  page, 

Or  of  the  povereste  wydwe  in  a  village, 

A1  sholde  hir  children  sterve 2  for  famyne. 

Nay,  I  wol  drynke  licour  of  the  vyne, 

And  have  a  joly  wenche  in  every  toun  ; 

But  herkneth,  lordynges,  in  conclusioun. 

“  Youre  likyng  is  that  I  shal  telle  a  tale. 

Now  have  I  dronke  a  draughte  of  corny  ale, 

By  God,  I  hope  I  shal  yow  telle  a  thyng  9531 
That  shal  by  resoun  been  at  youre  likyng  ; 

For  though  my-self  be  a  ful  vicious  man, 

A  moral  tale  yet  I  yow  telle  kan, 

Which  I  am  wont  to  preche  for  to  Wynne. 

Now  hoold  youre  pees,  my  tale  I  wol  bigynne.”  3 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Pardoners  Tale. 

In  Flaundres  whilom  was  a  compaignye 
Of  yonge  folk,  that  haunteden 4  folye, 

As  riot,  hasard,  stywes  and  tavernes, 

Where  as  with  harpes,  lutes  and  gyternes,5 

1  As  Egyptian  monks  once  did.  2  Die.  8  Three  stories  similar 
to  that  of  the  Pardoner  were  reprinted  by  the  Chaucer  Society  in 
1875:  Christ  and  his  Disciples.,  from  the  Cento  Novelle  Antiche ; 
The  Hermit ,  Death ,  and  the  Robbers ,  from  another  edition  of  the 
same;  and  The  Treasure  in  the  Tiber ,  from  Morlinus.  4  Fre¬ 
quented.  6  Guitars. 


THEY  LAUGHED  AT  SIN.  4OI 

They  daunce  and  pleyen  at  dees,1  bothe  day 
and  nyght,  9541 

And  eten  also,  and  drynken  over  hir  myght, 
Thurgh  which  they  doon  the  devel  sacrifise 
With-inne  that  develes  temple,  in  cursed  wise, 
By  superfluytee  abhomynable.  (12,405  t.) 

Hir  othes  been  so  grete  and  so  dampnable 
That  it  is  grisly 2  for  to  heere  hem  swere  ; 

Oure  blissed  Lordes  body  3  they  to-tere  ; 

Hem  thoughte  that  Jewes  rente  hym  noght 
ynough, 

And  ech  of  hem  at  otheres  synne  lough  ;  9550 
And  right  anon  thanne  comen  tombesteres4 
Fetys  5  and  smale,  and  yonge  frutesteres,6 
Syngeres  with  harpes,  baudes,  wafereres,7 — 
Whiche  been  the  verray  develes  officeres,  — 
To  kyndle  and  blowe  the  fyr  of  lecherye 
That  is  annexed  un-to  glotonye. 

The  Hooly  Writ  take  I  to  my  witnesse 
That  luxurie  is  in  wyn  and  dronkenesse. 

Lo,  how  that  dronken  Looth  unkyndely 8 
Lay  by  hise  doghtres  two  unwityngly  ;  9560 

So  dronke  he  was  he  nyste  9  what  he  wroghte. 

Herodes,  —  who  so  wel  the  stories  soghte,  — 
Whan  he  of  wyn  was  repleet  at  his  feeste, 

Right  at  his  owene  table,  he  gaf  his  heeste  10 
To  sleen  the  Baptist  John,  ful  giltelees. 


1  Dice.  2  Frightful.  3  For  such  oaths,  cf.  11.  6047,  9362,  9388, 
9725,  9728,  and  18,835.  4  Women  tumblers.  6  Nice,  graceful. 
a  Women  selling  fruit.  7  Women  selling  wafers.  8  Unnaturally. 
9  Knew  not.  10  Command. 

26 


VOL.  I. 


402  THE  pardoner’s  TALE. 

Seneca  seith  a  good  word,  doutelees 
He  seith  he  kan  no  difference  fynde 
Bitwix  a  man  that  is  out  of  his  mynde 
And  a  man  which  that  is  dronkelewe, 

But  that  woodnesse,  fallen  in  a  shrewe,  957° 
Persevereth  lenger  than  dooth  dronkenesse. 

O  glotonye,  ful  of  cursednesse ; 

O  cause  first  of  oure  confusioun  ; 

O  original  of  oure  dampnacioun  ; 

Til  Crist  hadde  boght  us  with  his  blood  agayn  ! 

Lo,  how  deere,  shortly  for  to  sayn, 

Aboght 2  was  thilke  cursed  vileynye  ; 

Corrupt  was  al  this  world  for  glotonye  ! 

Adam  oure  fader,  and  his  wyf  also, 

Fro  Paradys  to  labour  and  to  wo  9580 

Were  dryven  for  that  vice,  it  is  no  drede,3  — 
For  whil  that  Adam  fasted,  as  I  rede,4 
He  was  in  Paradys,  and  whan  that  he 
Eet  of  the  fruyt  deffended,5  on  the  tree, 

Anon  he  was  out  cast  to  wo  and  peyne. 

O  glotonye,  on  thee  wel  oghte  us  pleyne  ! 

O,  wiste  a  man  how  manye  maladyes 
Folwen  of  excesse  and  of  glotonyes, 

He  wolde  been  the  moore  mesurable 
Of  his  diete,  sittynge  at  his  table  !  959° 

Allas  !  the  shorte  throte,  the  tendre  mouth, 
Maketh  that  est  and  west,  and  north  and  south, 
In  erthe,  in  eir,  in  water,  man  to  swynke 6 


1  In  faith.  2  Atoned  for.  8  Without  doubt.  4  In  H ieronytnus 
contra  Jovinianum  (St.  Jerome).  5  Forbidden.  6  Work. 


TURN  SUBSTANCE  INTO  ACCIDENT.  403 

To  gete  a  glotoun  deyntee  mete  and  drynke  ! 
Of  this  matiere,  O  Paul,  wel  kanstow  trete  ! 

“  Mete  un-to  wombe,1  and  wombe  eek  un-to 
mete,  (12,456  T.) 

Shal  God  destroyen  bothe,”  as  Paulus  seith. 
Allas  !  a  foul  thyng  is  it,  by  my  feith, 

To  seye  this  word,  and  fouler  is  the  dede 
Whan  man  so  drynketh  of  the  white  and  rede,2 
That  of  his  throte  he  maketh  his  pryvee,  9601 
Thurgh  thilke  cursed  superfluitee. 

The  Apostel  wepyng  seith  ful  pitously, 

“  Ther  walken  rnanye  of  whiche  yow  toold 
have  I, 

I  seye  it  now  wepyng  with  pitous  voys, 

That  they 3  been  enemys  of  Cristes  croys, 

Of  whiche  the  ende  is  deeth,  wombe  is  hir  god.” 
O  wombe  !  O  bely !  O  stynkyng  cod  ! 

Fulfilled  of  donge  and  of  corrupcioun ! 

At  either  ende  of  thee  foul  is  the  soun ;  9610 

How  greet  labour  and  cost  is  thee  to  fynde  ! 4 
Thise  cookes,  how  they  stampe,  and  streyne, 
and  grynde, 

And  turnen  substaunce  in-to  accident, 

To  fulfillen  al  thy  likerous  talent ! 5 

Out  of  the  harde  bones  knokke  they 

The  mary,  for  they  caste  noght  a-wey 

That  may  go  thurgh  the  golet 6  softe  and  swoote. 

Of  spicerie,  of  leef,  and  bark,  and  roote, 

!*Belly.  2  Wines.  8  Elies.  MS.  has  “  ther,”  for  “  that  they.” 
4  Supply.  s  Fastidious  disposition.  6  Gullet. 


404  the  pardoner’s  tale. 

Shal  been  his  sauce  ymaked  by  debt, 

To  make  hym  yet  a  newer  appetit  j  9620 

But  certes  he  that  haunteth  1  swiche  delices 
Is  deed  whil  that  he  lyveth  in  tho  vices. 

A  lecherous  thyng  is  wyn,  and  dronkenesse 
Is  ful  of  stryvyng  and  of  wrecchednesse. 

O  clronke  man  !  disfigured  is  thy  face, 

Sour  is  thy  breeth,  foul  artow  to  embrace, 

And  thurgh  thy  dronke  nose  semeth  the  soun, 
As  though  thou  seydest  ay,  “  Sampsoun  !  Samp- 
soun  !  ” 

And  yet,  God  woot,  Sampsoun  drank  nevere 
no  wyn. 

Thou  fallest  as  it  were  a  styked  swyn,  9630 
Thy  tonge  is  lost  and  al  thyn  honeste  cure ; 
For  dronkenesse  is  verray  sepulture 
Of  mannes  wit  and  his  discrecioun, 

In  whom  that  drynke  hath  dominacioun  ; 

He  kan  no  conseil  kepe,  it  is  no  drede. 

Now  kepe  yow  fro  the  white  and  fro  the  rede, 
And  namely  fro  the  white  wyn  of  Lepe 
That  is  to  selle  in  Fysshstrete,  or  in  Chepe.2 
This  wyn  of  Spaigne  crepeth  subtilly 
In  othere  wynes  growynge  faste  by,  (12,500  t.) 
Of  which  ther  ryseth  swich  fumositee,  9641 
That  whan  a  man  hath  dronken  draughtes  thre 
And  weneth  3  that  he  be  at  hoom  in  Chepe, 

He  is  in  Spaigne  right  at  the  toune  of  Lepe,  — 
Nat  at  the  Rochele,  ne  at  Burdeux-toun, — 

1  Frequently  indulges  in.  2  Cheapside.  3  Thinketh. 


GAMING  DENOUNCED.  405 

And  thanne  wol  he  seye,  “  Sampsoun,  Samp- 
soun !  ” 

But  herkneth,  lordes,  o  word,  I  yow  preye, 
That  alle  the  sovereyn  actes  dar  I  seye 
Of  victories  in  the  Olde  Testament, 

Thurgh  verray  1  God  that  is  omnipotent,  9650 
Were  doon  in  abstinence  and  in  preyere  ; 
Looketh  the  Bible  and  ther  ye  may  it  leere. 

Looke,  Attilla,  the  grete  conquerour, 

Deyde  in  his  sleepe,  with  shame  and  dishonour, 
Bledynge  ay  at  his  nose  in  dronkenesse. 

A  capitayn  sholde  lyve  in  sobrenesse  ; 

And  over  al  this  avyseth  yow  right  wel 
What  was  comaunded  un-to  Lamwel,  — 

Nat  Samuel,  but  Lamwel  seye  I  ; 

Redeth  the  Bible,  and  fynde  it  expresly  9660 
Of  wyn  gevyng,  to  hem  that  han  justise. 
Namoore  of  this,  for  it  may  wel  sufhse. 

And  now  I  have  spoken  of  glotonye, 

Now  wol  I  yow  deffenden  2  hasardrye. 

Hasard  is  verray  mooder  of  lesynges,8 
And  of  deceite,  and  cursed  forswerynges  ; 
Blaspheme  of  Crist,  manslaughtre,  and  wast 
also 

Of  catel,  and  of  tyme,  and  forthermo 
It  is  repreeve  4  and  contrarie  of  honour 
For  to  ben  holde  a  commune  hasardour  ;  9670 
And  ever  the  hyer  he  is  of  estaat, 

The  moore  is  he  holden  desolaat. 


1  True.  2  Denounce.  3  Lyings.  4  Reproved. 


406  the  pardoner’s  tale. 

If  that  a  prynce  useth  hasardrye  * 

In  alle  governaunce  and  policye, 

He  is,  as  by  commune  opinioun, 

Yholde  the  lasse  in  reputacioun. 

Stilbon,1  that  was  a  wys  embassadour, 

Was  sent  to  Corynthe  in  ful  greet  honour 
Fro  Lacidomye  to  maken  hire  alliaunee; 

And  whan  he  cam,  hym  happede  par  chaunce , 
That  alle  the  gretteste  that  were  of  that  lond 
Pleyynge  atte  hasard  he  hem  fond  ;  9682 

For  which,  as  soone  as  it  myghte  be, 

He  stal  hym  hoom  agayn  to  his  contree, 

And  seyde,  “  Ther  wol  I  nat  lese  my  name, 

Ne  I2  wol  nat  take  on  me  so  greet  defame, 
Yow  for  to  allie  un-to  none  hasardours  ; 
Sendeth  othere  wise  embassadours, 

For,  by  my  trouthe,  me  were  levere  dye, 

Than  I  yow  sholde  to  hasardours  allye ;  9690 

For  ye  that  been  so  glorious  in  honours, 

Shul  nat  allyen  yow  with  hasardours 

As  by  my  wyl,  ne  as  by  my  tretee  !  ”  (12,553  T.) 

This  wise  philosophre  thus  seyde  hee. 

Looke  eek  that  to  the  kyng  Demetrius, 

The  kyng  of  Parthes,  as  the  book  seith  us, 
Sente  him  a  paire  of  dees  3  of  gold,  in  scorn, 
For  he  hadde  used  hasard  ther-biforn ; 

For  which  he  heeld  his  glorie  or  his  renoun 
At  no  value  or  reputacioun.  9700 

Lordes  may  fynden  oother  maner  pley 
Honeste  ynough  to  dryve  the  day  awey. 

1  Probably  Chilon.  s  Pronounced  “  ny.”  8  Dice. 


407 


“GRET  sweryng.” 

Now  wol  I  speke  of  othes  false  and  grete 
A  word  or  two,  as  olde  bookes  trete. 

Gret  sweryng  is  a  thyng  abhominable, 

And  fals  sweryng  is  yet  moore  reprevable. 

The  heighe  God  forbad  sweryng  at  al,  — 
Witnesse  on  Mathew,  but  in  special 
Of  sweryng  seith  the  hooly  Jeremye, 

“Thou  shalt  seye  sooth  thyne  othes,  and  nat 
lye  97 10 

And  swere  in  doom,  and  eek  in  rightwisnesse  ;  ” 
But  ydel  sweryng  is  a  cursednesse. 

Bihoold  and  se,  that  in  the  firste  table 
Of  heighe  Goddes  heestes,  honurable, 

Hou  that  the  seconde  heeste  of  hym  is  this  : 

“  Take  nat  my  name  in  ydel,  or  amys 
Lo,  rather  he  forbedeth  swich  sweryng 
Than  homvcide,  or  any  cursed  thyng  ; 

I  seye  that  as  by  ordre,  thus  it  stondeth.  9719 
This  knowen,  that  hise  heestes  understondeth, 
How  that  the  seconde  heeste  of  God  is  that ; 
And  forther  over,  I  wol  thee  telle  al  plat 
That  vengeance  shal  nat  parten  from  his  hous 
That  of  hise  othes  is  to  outrageous,  — 

“  By  Goddes  precious  herte,”  and  “  By  his 
nayles,” 

And  “  By  the  blood  of  Crist  that  is  in  Hayles,” 1 
“  Sevene  is  my  chaunce,  and  thyn  is  cynk  and 
treye 

“  By  Goddes  armes,  if  thou  falsly  pleye, 


1  The  Abbey  of  Hailes. 


408  the  pardoner’s  tale. 

This  daggere  shal  thurgh-out  thyn  herte  go !  ” 
This  fruyt  cometh  of  the  bicched  bones  1  two, 
Forsweryng,  ire,  falsnesse,  bomycide.  9731 
Now  for  the  love  of  Crist  that  for  us  dyde, 

Lete  2  youre  othes,  bothe  grete  and  smale. 

But,  sires,  now  wol  I  telle  forth  my  tale. 

Thise  riotoures  thre,  of  whiche  I  telle, 

Longe  erst  er  prime  rong  of  any  belle, 

Were  set  hem  in  a  taverne  to  drynke ; 

And  as  they  sat  they  herde  a  belle  clynke 
Biforn  a  cors,  was  caried  to  his  grave. 

That  oon  of  hem  gan  callen  to  his  knave  :  9740 
“  Go  bet,”  3  quod  he,  “  and  axe  redily 
What  cors  is  this  that  passeth  heer  forby, 

And  looke  that  thou  reporte  his  name  week” 

“  Sire,”  quod  this  boy,  “  it  nedeth  neveradeel, 
It  was  me  toold  er  ye  cam  heer  two  houres ; 
He  was,  pardee,  an  old  felawe  of  youres, 

And  sodeynly  he  was  yslayn  to-nyght,  (12,607  T-) 
For-dronke,4  as  he  sat  on  his  bench  upright ; 
Ther  cam  a  privee  theef,  men  clepeth  Deeth, 
That  in  this  contree  al  the  peple  sleeth,  9750 
And  with  his  spere  he  smoot  his  herte  atwo, 
And  wente  his  wey  with-outen  wordes  mo. 

He  hath  a  thousand  slayn  this  pestilence, 

And,  maister,  er  ye  come  in  his  presence, 

Me  thynketh  that  it  were  necessarie 
For  to  be  war  of  swich  an  adversarie  ; 

Beth  redy  for  to  meete  hym  everemoore  ; 

Thus  taughte  me  my  dame  ;  I  sey  namoore.” 

1  Dice.  2  Stint.  8  Better,  i.  <?.,  faster.  4  Very  drunk. 


“THIS  FALSE  TRAYTOUR,  DEETH.”  4O9 

“  By  Seinte  Marie  !  ”  seyde  this  taverner, 

“  The  child  seith  sooth,  for  he  hath  slayn  this 
yeer  9760 

Henne  1  over  a  mile,  with-inne  a  greet  village, 
Bothe  man  and  womman,  child,  and  hyne,2  and 
page; 

I  trowe  his  habitacioun  be  there  ; 

To  been  avysed  greet  wysdom  it  were, 

Er  that  he  dide  a  man  a  dishonour.” 

“  Ye,  Goddes  armes  !  ”  quod  this  riotour, 

“  Is  it  swich  peril  with  hym  for  to  meete  ? 

I  shal  hym  seke  by  wey,  and  eek  by  strete  ; 

I  make  avow  to  Goddes  digne  3  bones  ! 
Herkneth,  felawes,  we  thre  been  al  ones,  9770 
Lat  ech  of  us  holde  up  his  hand  til  oother, 

And  ech  of  us  bicomen  otheres  brother, 

And  we  wol  sleen  this  false  traytour,  Deeth  ; 
He  shal  be  slayn  which  that  so  manye  sleeth, 
By  Goddes  dignitee,  er  it  be  nyght !  ” 

Togidres  han  thise  thre  hir  trouthes  plight 
To  lyve  and  dyen  ech  of  hem  for  oother, 

As  though  he  were  his  owene  ybore  brother  ; 
And  up  they  stirte,  al 4  dronken  in  this  rage  ; 
And  forth  they  goon  towardes  that  village  9780 
Of  which  the  taverner  hadde  spoke  biforn  ; 
And  many  a  grisly  ooth  thanne  han  they  sworn ; 
And  Cristes  blessed  body  they  to-rente,  — 
Deeth  shal  be  deed,  if  that  they  may  hym  hente. 
Whan  they  han  goon  nat  fully  half  a  mile, 

1  Hence.  2  Servant.  3  Worthy.  4  Elies.  MS.  has  “and.” 


410  THE  PARDONER’S  TALE. 

Right  as  they  wolde  han  troden  over  a  stile, 

An  oold  man  and  a  povre  with  hem  mette  ; 
This  olde  man  ful  mekely  hem  grette, 

And  seyde  thus  :  “  Now,  lordes,  God  yow  see  !  ” 
The  proudeste  of  thise  riotours  three  9790 
Answerde  agayn,  “  What,  carl  with  sory  grace, 
Why  artow  al  for  wrapped,  save  thy  face  ? 

Why  lyvestow  so  longe  in  so  greet  age  ?  ” 

This  olde  man  gan  looke  in  his  visage, 

And  seyde  thus  :  “  For  I  ne  kan  nat  fynde 
A  man,  though  that  I  walked  in  to  Y  nde, 
Neither  in  citee,  nor  in  no  village,  (12,657  T-) 
That  wolde  chaunge  his  youthe  for  myn  age  ; 
And  therfore  moot  I  han  myn  age  stille, 

As  longe  tyme  as  it  is  Goddes  wille.  9800 
Ne  Deeth,  alias  !  ne  wol  nat  han  my  lyf  ; 

Thus  walke  I,  lyk  a  restelees  kaityf,1 

And  on  the  ground,  which  is  my  moodres  gate, 

I  knokke  with  my  staf  bothe  erly  and  late, 

And  seye,  ‘  Leeve  mooder,  leet  me  in  ! 

Lo,  howl  vanysshe,  flessh  and  blood  and  skyn; 
Allas  !  whan  shul  my  bones  been  at  reste  ? 
Mooder,  with  yow  wolde  I  chaunge  my  cheste  2 
That  in  my  chambre  longe  tyme  hath  be, 

Ye,  for  an  heyre-clowt  to  wrappe  me  !  ’  9810 

But  yet  to  me  she  wol  nat  do  that  grace, 

For  which  ful  pale  and  welked  3  is  my  face  ; 
But,  sires,  to  yow  it  is  no  curteisye 
To  speken  to  an  old  man  vileynye, 

1  Captive,  wretch.  2  Money-box,  locker.  3  Furrowed. 


“LEEF  to  fynde  deeth.”  41 1 

But  he  trespasse  in  word,  or  elles  in  dede. 

In  Hooly  Writ  ye  may  your  self  wel  rede, 
Agayns  an  oold  man  hoor  upon  his  heed, 

Ye  sholde  arise  ;  wherfore  I  geve  yow  reed,1 
Ne  dooth  un-to  an  oold  man  noon  harm  now, 
Namoore  than  that  ye  wolde  men  did  to  yow 
In  age,  if  that  ye  so  longe  abyde.  9821 

And  God  be  with  yow  where  ye  go 2  or  ryde  ; 

I  moote  go  thider  as  I  have  to  go.” 

“  Nay,  olde  cherl,  by  God,  thou  shalt  nat 
so  !  ” 

Seyde  this  oother  hasardour  anon ; 

“  Thou  partest  nat  so  lightly,  by  Seint  John  ! 
Thou  spak  right  now  of  thilke  traytour,  Deeth, 
That  in  this  contree  alle  oure  freendes  sleeth ; 
Have  heer  my  trouthe,  as  thou  art  his  espye, 
Telle  where  he  is,  or  thou  shalt  it  abye,3  9830 
By  God  and  by  the  hooly  sacrement ! 

For  soothly,  thou  art  oon  of  his  assent 
To  sleen  us  yonge  folk,  thou  false  theef  !  ” 

“  Now,  sires,”  quod  he,  “  if  that  ye  be  so  leef 
To  fynde  Deeth,  turne  up  this  croked  wey, 

For  in  that  grove  I  lafte  hym,  by  my  fey, 
Under  a  tree,  and  there  he  wole  abyde  ; 

Noght  for  youre  boost  he  wole  him  no  thyng 
hyde.  9838 

Se  ye  that  00k  ?  Right  there  ye  shal  hym  fynde. 
God  save  yow  that  boghte  agayn  mankynde, 
And  yow  amende  !  ”  thus  seyde  this  olde  man  : 

1  Advice.  2  Wherever  ye  walk.  3  Pay  for  it. 


412  THE  pardoner’s  TALE. 

And  everich  of  thise  riotours  ran  (12,702  T.) 
Til  he  cam  to  that  tree,  and  ther  they  founde, 
Of  floryns  fyne  of  gold  ycoyned  rounde, 

Wei  ny  an  eighte  busshels,  as  hem  thoughte. 
No  lenger  thanne  after  Deeth  they  soughte, 

But  ech  of  hem  so  glad  was  of  that  sighte, 

For  that  the  floryns  been  so  faire  and  brighte, 
That  doun  they  sette  hem  by  this  precious 
hoord. 

The  worste  of  hem  he  spak  the  firste  word. 

“  Bretheren,”  quod  he,  “  taak  kepe  what  I 
seye;  9851 

My  wit  is  greet,  though  that  I  bourde  1  and 
pleye. 

This  tresor  hath  Fortune  un-to  us  geven 
In  myrthe  and  joliftee  oure  lyf  to  lyven, 

And  lightly  as  it  comth  so  wol  we  spende. 

Ey,  Goddes  precious  dignitee  !  who  wende  2 
To-day,  that  we  sholde  han  so  fair  a  grace  ? 

But  myghte  this  gold  be  caried  fro  this  place 
Hoorn  to  myn  hous,  or  elles  un-to  youres,  — 
For  wel  ye  woot  that  al  this  gold  is  oures,  — 
Thanne  were  we  in  heigh  felicitee.  9861 

But  trewely,  by  daye  it  may  nat  bee  ; 

Men  wolde  seyn  that  we  were  theves  stronge, 
And  for  oure  owene  tresor  doon  us  honge. 

This  tresor  moste  ycaried  be  by  nyghte, 

As  wisely  and  as  slyly  as  it  myghte. 

Wherfore,  I  rede  3  that  cut  among  us  alle 


1  Jest.  2  Thought.  3  Advise. 


“heere  is  gold.”  413 

Be  drawe,  and  lat  se  wher  the  cut  wol  falle ; 

And  he  that  hath  the  cut  with  herte  blithe 

/ 

Shal  renne  to  the 1  towne,  and  that  ful  swithe,2 
And  brynge  us  breed  and  wyn  ful  prively, 

And  two  of  us  shul  kepen  subtilly  9872 

This  tresor  wel ;  and  if  he  wol  nat  tarie, 

Whan  it  is  nyght  we  wol  this  tresor  carie 
By  oon  assent  where  as  us  thynketh  best.” 
That  oon  of  hem  the  cut  broghte  in  his  fest,3 
And  bad  hym  drawe  and  looke  where  it  wol 
falle ; 

And  it  fil  on  the  yongeste  of  hem  alle, 

And  forth  toward  the  toun  he  wente  anon ; 

And  al  so  soone  as  that  he  was  gon,  9880 
That  oon  of  hem  spak  thus  un-to  that  oother : 

“  Thow  knowest  wel  thou  art  my  sworne  brother ; 
Thy  profit  wol  I  telle  thee  anon  ; 

Thou  woost  wel  that  oure  felawe  is  agon, 

And  heere  is  gold,  and  that  ful  greet  plentee, 
That  shal  departed  been  among  us  thre  ; 

But  nathelees,  if  I  kan  shape  it  so 
That  it  departed  were  among  us  two, 

Hadde  I  nat  doon  a  freendes  torn  to  thee  ?  ” 
That  oother  answerde,  “  I  noot  hou  that  may 
be ;  9890 

He  woot  how  that  the  gold  is  with  us  tweye  ; 
What  shal  we  doon,  what  shal  we  to  hym 
seye  ?  ” 

“  Shal  it  be  conseil  ?  ” 4  seyde  the  firste 
shrewe,5 

1  Notin  Elies.  MS.  2  Quickly.  3  Fist.  4  Secret.  6  Rascal. 


BUDDHIST  BIRTH  STORY  IN  OHAUOER. 

Uiimbrliltfu  .  Uoo.  It,  I8Wi. 

Tho  Buddhist  Birth  Story  which  is  hero 
partially  translated,  it  is  bolioved,  for  tho  first 
time  will  bo  oasily  reoogniBod  as  an  old  friend,  j 
with  a  now  fuco  ;  uud  not  ouly  thoso  roadors  of 
tho  Academy  who  ore  ourious  in  folk-loro,  but  | 
all  stadents  of  English  Literati  are,  will  be  inter¬ 
ested  in  discovering  an  Indian  original  foroneof 
tho  Canterbury  tab  s.  By  what  stops  this  fable 
roaokod  Europe — whether  it  pursued  tho  high- 

l>  *.l  •  1  (it  (>  >  1 1 1  1 1 1  1 1 1 1  I  ..1 1  I  <  M  I  n  1 1 . 1 1 1 1  1 .1 1 1 1  1 1  I  i '  ‘  W I '  I '  M  | 

Eastorn  and  Western  civilisation  by  tho  Cru¬ 
sades,  or  followod  in  tho  track  of  some  Mongolian 
iuvador,  or,  it  may  bo,  found  its  way  through 
tho  Arab  conquerors  of  Spain — is  beyond  the 
scopo  of  our  present  purpose.  In  the  Introduc¬ 
tion  to  the  translation  of  Jataka  Talas  by  Mr. 
Rhys  Davids  wo  may  learn,  ns  a  remarkable 
illustration  of  this  “migration  of  fables,"  how 
the  founder  of  the  Buddhist  religion,  whose 
legendary  history  is  related  ia  tho  Lalita  Yistara, 
was  transformed  into  the  hero  of  a  religious  novel  l 
by  Joannes  Damasoenus,  and  under  the  name  of  I 
Josaphat  was  eventually  canonised  and  enrolled  f 
for  all  time  in  the  order  of  Romish  suints.  Some,  I 
on  the  other  hand,  maintain  that  they  can  trace  I 
tho  influence  of  Christian  tradition  in  the  Lalita  1 
Vietara  itself,  in  its  present  form ;  and  in  reading  I 
this  work  it  is  certainly  at  times  difficult  to  I 
believe  that  we  have  not  before  us  a  Sanskrit  I 
version  of  some  apocryphal  Gospel. 

To  return,  however,  to  our  eubjoct.  Tho  I 
Vedabbha  Jataka  appears  to  be  composed  ofl 
two  distinct  stories— namely,  the  oreation  ofl 
a  treasure  by  a  magic  rain  from  heaven  (no| 
uncommon  incident  in  Oriental  fable)  and  tho  I 
quarrel  of  the  robbers  over  the  treasure- trove.  V 
Now,  a  reference  to  one  of  the  Chaucer  Society  I 
Publications,  called  Originals  and  Analogues! 
of  some  of  the  Canterbury  Tales,  by  Mr.  Fur-| 
nivall,  will  show  us  that  there  are  known| 
to  be  three  earlier  versions  of  this  story, | 
from  which  Chaucer  may  have  drawn  thef 
Robber  episode  in  his  Pardoner’s  Tale,  two  ofl 
them  Italian  and  one  Latin.  The  story  ini 
each  case  is  essentially  the  Bame,  though,  asl 
might  be  expected,  there  is  considerable  variety! 
of  detail.  The  moral  ia  prominently  broughtl 
forward  in  all  the  versions.  Chaucer,  for  in-^ 
stance,  in  the  prologue  to  his  tale,  writes 

1 1  My  theme  is  alwey  oon,  uud  ever  was _ 

Radix  maloioun  est  Cupiditas.” 

Almost  the  same  words  occur  iu  the  Latin  ver-1 
sion.  And  it  would  seem  as  if  the  Devil  oould| 
quote  Scripture  in  Pali  as  well  as  in  other  lan-  I 
guages,  for  in  the  Buddhist  story  the  robber  who  I 
remains  behind  to  guard  the  treasure  says  to  I 
himself,  “  Verily,  covetousness  is  the  root  ofl 
destruction  ;  ”  and,  immediately  after  the  utter-  1 
ance  of  this  moral  sentiment,  he  conceives  the  I 
project  of  murdering  his  fellow  !  Truly,  t 
veritable  Oriental  Pecksniff. 

I  sure  thought  to  himself,  *  This  money  will  have  to 

I  be  divided  when  my  comrade  comes  back.  Suppose 

I I  were  to  kill  him  with  my  sword  as  soon  as  he 
I  returns.’  So  he  girds  on  his  sword  and  sits  down 
I  to  wait  for  liis  coming.  The  other  one  also  thought, 

I  ‘  This  money  will  have  to  be  divided.  Suppose  I 
I  were  to  put  some  poison  in  the  food  and  give  it  to 
1  the  fellow  to  eat,  and  so  get  all  the  money  to  my- 
I  self.’  When  the  food  was  cooked,  after  having 
I  himself  eaten  some,  he  puts  poison  in  what  was 
I  left,  and  returns  to  his  companion.  But  just  as 
I  he  was  still  standing,  after  setting  down  the  food, 

I  the  other  cleft  him  in  two  with  his  sword,  threw 
I  the  body  into  a  secret  place,  and  then  himself,  too, 

I  ate  the  food,  and  so  came  by  his  death.  The 
I  Bodhisat,  after  a  few  days’  absence,  returns,  finds 
I  his  master’s  body,  performs  funeral  rites,  and 
1  gradually  learns  the  whole  truth  of  the  matter  by 
I  the  discovery  of  the  other  dead  bodies  lying  in 
I  such  a  way  as  to  suggest  the  cause  of  their  deaths, 

I  and  utters  appropriate  moral  reflections  to  teach 
I  the  lesson  that  ‘  they  who  seek  their  own  advantage 
I  by  improper  means  bring  upon  themselves  a  great 
|  destruction.’” 

H.  T.  Francis. 

PS. — I  have  lately  heard,  since  I  wrote  the 
I  above,  that  Dr.  R.  Morris  ha9  already  identified 
this  story. 

The  fin  t  of  the  Italian  versions,  which  appears 
I  in  a  collodion  of  stories  called  Cento  Novelle 
1  antiche,  published  in  1525,  and  supposed  to  be 
I  of  higher  antiquity  than  Boccaccio,  presents  one 
I  or  two  features  of  some  interest.  The  Teacher 
I  Buddha  is  transformed  into  the  Christ ;  and  the 
I  story  then  naturally  takes  the  shape  of  a  Gospel 
I  parable,  and  in  its  treatment  suggests  the  form 
of  the  Parable  of  the  Barren  Fig-tree.  For  the 
fable  is  not  merely  told  to  the  disciples,  but,  as 
it  were,  almost  acted  before  their  very  eyes. 

'  When  they  ask  leave  to  appropriate  the  money 
I  which  they  had  found,  'they  are  forbidden  by 
Our  Lord  to  do  so,  and  are  warned  to  wait  and 
I  see  the  issue.  By-and-by,  on  their  return, 
the  moral  is  effectually  pointed  by  the  sight  of 
I  the  two  dead  robbers.  In  the  second  of  the 
Italian  versions  found  in  a  later  edition  of  the 
Cento  Novelle  antiche,  it  is  a  hermit  who  discovers 
I  the  treasure ;  and  ll  covetousness  the  root  of 
destruction  ”  is  personified  by  affigure  of  Death 
which  the  hermit  feigns  to  believe  to  be  pursu¬ 
ing  him.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  Ruin 
or  Death,  which  in  the  Pali  is  a  mere  metaphor, 
in  the  Italian  assumes  a  concrete  form.  It  may 
be  added  that  the  robbers  are  here  three  instead 
I  of  two.  In  the  Latin  version  of  the  story  taken 
[  from  the  Novellae  of  Morlinus  one  or  two  points 
of  closer  agreement  with  the  Pali  Jataka  are  to 
I  be  noted.  The  treasure  has  been  discovered  by 
a  magic  charm,  “  Magus  magico  Busurro  iu 
Tiberi  delitere  thesaurum  cognovit.”  More¬ 
over,  the  robbers  are  no  longer  two  or  three, 
but  a  band  which  divides  into  two  factions. 

With  these  preliminary  observations  I  append 
a  paraphrase  of  that  portion  of  the  fable  which 
chiefly  bears  on  the  Ohauoer  question,  as  the 
Jataka  is  too  long  to  translate  in  extenso. 

“  Once  upon  a  time,  when  Brahmadatta  was  king 
at  Benares,  a  certain  Brahman  knew  ft  magic  spell 
of  great  value,  by  repeating  which,  and  looking  up 
to  heaven  at  the  time  of  the  moon’s  conjunction 
with  a  particular  lunar  mansion,  he  could  cause  a 
rain  of  treasure  to  fall  from  the  sky.  Now  at  this 
I  time  the  Bodhisat  was  learning  science  with  this 
I  Brahman  ;  and  one  day,  for  some  reason  or  other, 
the  Brahman  took  the  Bodhisat,  and  leaving  his 
own  village  came  to  another  country.  In  the 
course  of  their  journey  they  had  to  pass  by  a 
wooded  spot  where  500  robbers— known  as  the  ‘  De¬ 
spatches  ’—rob  and  murder  wayfarers.  They  are 
called  ‘  Despatches’  because  it  is  said  that  when¬ 
ever  they  capture  two  prisoners  they  ‘  despatch  ’ 

,  one  of  them  to  bring  back  money  for  a  ransom. 

For  instance,  when  they  take  a  father  and  son, 

I  they  say  to  the  father,  ‘  Bring  us  a  ransom,  and 
I  then  take  your  son  and  begone.’  So  these  robbers, 

I  after  seizing  the  Bodhisat  and  the  Brahman,  keep 
|  the  latter  and  let  the  former  go.  The  Bodhisat 
I  then  bids  his  master  good-bye,  and  cautions  him 
I  not  to  repeat  his  magic  spell,  otherwise  he  will 
1  bring  about  his  own  destruction  as  well  as  that  of 
I  the  robbers.  So  the  Bodhisat  went  off  to  fetch  a 
1  ransom,  leaving  his  master  a  prisoner.  But,  when 
|  the  full  moon  arose,  the  Brahman,  observing  that 
|  it  was  tho  lunar  conjunction  which  causes  it  to 
I  rain  gold,  repeats  the  charm,  and  treasures  at  once 
1  fall  from  heaven.  The  robbers  gather  up  the 
I  money  and  deport,  followed  by  the  Brahman. 

I  They  in  their  turn  are  captured  by  another  band  of 
I  500  robbers ;  and  on  the  captors  demanding  a  rau- 
I  som  they  are  told  that  if  they  want  money  the 
I  Brahman  can  make  it  rain  from  heaven.  The 
I  Brahman  begs  to  be  excused  till  the  particular 
I  lunar  conjunction  returns.  The  robbers  are  en- 
|  raged,  and  say,  ‘  O  wicked  Brahman,  you  cause  it 
I  to  rain  money  for  others,  but  us  you  put  oif  for 
I  another  year.’  With  these  words  they  cut  the 
I  Brahman  in  two  with  a  sharp  sword,  and  cast  his 
I  body  in  the  road.  Then  they  pursue  the  other 
I  robbers  (whom  they  had  set  free),  and  slay  them 
I  all.  By-and-by  they  divide  into  two  parties,  and 
I  fight  with  one  another  till  only  two  are  left.  The 
1  two  survivors  bury  the  treasure  in  a  secret  place  ; 
I  and,  while  one  of  them  takes  his  sword  and  sits 
I  guarding  the  treasure,  the  other  goes  into  a  village 
I  to  get  some  food  cooked.  ‘  This  covetousness 
I  truly  is  the  root  of  destruction ;  ’  and  after  uttering 
1  these  words  the  robber  who  was  guarding  the  trea- 


4H 


THE  PARDONER’S  TALE. 


“And  I  shal  tellen  in  a  wordes  fewe  (12,754  t.) 
What  we  shal  doon,  and  bryngen  it  wel  aboute.” 

“  I  graunte,”  quod  that  oother,  “  out  of  doute, 
That  by  my  trouthe  I  shal  thee  nat  biwreye.” 
“Now,”  quod  the  firste,  “  thou  woost  wel  we 
be  tweye, 

And  two  of  us  shul  strenger  be  than  oon.  9899 
Looke,  whan  that  he  is  set,  and  1  right  anoon 
Arys,  as  though  thou  woldest  with  hym  pleye, 
And  I  shal  ryve 2  hym  thurgh  the  sydes  tweye 
Whil  that  thou  strogelest  with  hym  as  in  game, 
And  with  thy  daggere  looke  thou  do  the  same ; 
And  thanne  shal  al  this  gold  departed 3  be, 

My  deere  freend,  bitwixen  me  and  thee. 
Thanne  may  we  bothe  oure  lustes  all  fulfille, 
And  pleye  at  dees  right  at  oure  owene  wille.” 
And  thus  acorded  been  thise  shrewes  tweye, 
To  sleen  the  thridde,  as  ye  han  herd  me  seye. 
This  yongeste,  which  that  wente  un-to  the 
toun,  99 11 

Ful  ofte  in  herte  he  rolleth  up  and  doun 
The  beautee  of  thise  floryns  newe  and  brighte ; 
“  O  Lord,”  quod  he,  “  if  so  were  that  I  myghte 
Have  al  this  tresor  to  my  self  allone, 

Ther  is  no  man  that  lyveth  under  the  trone 
Of  God,  that  sholde  lyve  so  murye  as  I !  ” 

And  atte  laste  the  feend,  oure  enemy, 

Putte  in  his  thought  that  he  sholde  poyson 
beye, 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “that.”  2  Pierce.  3  Divided. 


“A  POLCAT  IN  HIS  HAWE.”  415 

With  which  he  myghte  sleen  hise  felawes 
tweye ;  9920 

For  why  ?  The  feend  foond  hym  in  swich  lyv- 
ynge, 

That  he  hadde  leve  hem  to  sorwe  brynge, 

For  this  was  outrely  his  fulle  entente 
To  sleen  hem  bothe  and  nevere  to  repente. 
And  forth  he  gooth,  no  lenger  wolde  he 
tarie, 

Into  the  toun,  un-to  a  pothecarie, 

And  preyde  hym  that  he  hym  wolde  selle 
Som  poysoun,  that  he  myghte  hise  rattes 
quelle ; 1 

And  eek  ther  was  a  polcat  in  his  hawe,2  9929 
That,  as  he  seyde,  his  capouns  hadde  yslawe, 
And  fayn  he  wolde  wreke  hym,  if  he  myghte, 
On  verinyn,  that  destroyed  hem  3  by  nyghte. 
The  pothecarie  answerde,  “  And  thou  shalt 
have 

A  thyng  that,  al  so  God  my  soule  save  ! 

In  al  this  world  ther  nis  no  creature, 

That  ete  or  dronke  hath  of  this  confiture, 
Noght  but  the  montance  of  a  corn  of  whete, 
That  he  ne  shal  his  lif  anon  forlete ; 

Ye,  sterve  he  shal,  and  that  in  lasse  while 
Than  thou  wolt  goon  a  paas  4  nat  but  a  mile, 
This  poysoun  is  so  strong  and  violent.”  9941 
This  cursed  man  hath  in  his  hond  yhent 

1  Kill.  2  Farmyard.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “hym;”  but  the  refer¬ 
ence  appears  to  be  to  the  “  capouns,”  rather  than  to  the  man.  4  To 
go  is  to  walk ;  to  “  goon  a  paas,”  to  walk  at  an  ordinary  pace. 


41 6  the  pardoner’s  tale. 

This  poysoun  in  a  box,  and  sith  1  he  ran 
In-to  the  nexte  strete  un-to  a  man,  (12,804  T.) 
And  borwed  of  hym  large  hotels  thre, 

And  in  the  two  his  poyson  poured  he  ; 

The  thridde  he  kepte  clene  for  his  owene 
drynke, 

For  al  the  nyght  he  shoope  hym  for  to  swynke  2 
In  cariynge  of  the  gold  out  of  that  place  ; 

And  whan  this  riotour  with  sory  grace  995° 
Hadde  filled  with  wyn  his  grete  hotels  thre, 

To  hise  felawes  agayn  repaireth  he. 

What  nedeth  it  to  sermone  of  it  moore  ? 

For  right  so  as  they  hadde  cast  his  deeth  bi- 
foore, 

Right  so  they  han  hym  slayn,  and  that  anon, 
And  whan  that  this  was  doon  thus  spak  that 
oon  : 

“  Now  lat  us  sitte  and  drynke,  and  make  us 
merie, 

And  afterward  we  wol  his  body  berie  ;  ” 

And  with  that  word  it  happed  hym,  par  cas,3 
To  take  the  hotel  ther  the  poysoun  was,  9960 
And  drank  and  gaf  his  felawe  drynke  also, 

For  which  anon  they  storven  4  bothe  two. 

But  certes,  I  suppose  that  Avycen  5 
Wroot  nevere  in  no  Canon,  ne  in  no  fen, 

Mo  wonder  signes  of  empoisonyng 

Than  hadde  thise  wrecches  two,  er  hir  endyng. 

1  Then.  2  Planned  to  work.  3  By  chance.  4  Died.  B  Avicen¬ 
na,  Arabian  physician,  author  of  Canon  Medicines,  the  parts  of 
which  were  called  “  fens.”  Cf.  1.  432. 


“  MYN  HOOLY  PARDOUN.  417 

Thus  ended  been  thise  homycides  two, 

And  eek  the  false  empoysonere  also. 

O  cursed  synne  ful  of  alle  cursednesse ! 

O  traytours  homycide  !  O  wikkednesse  !  9970 

O  glotonye,  luxurie,  and  hasardrye  ! 

Thou  blasphemour  of  Crist  with  vileynye, 

And  othes  grete,  of  usage  and  of  pride  ! 

Allas  !  mankynde,  how  may  it  bitide 
That  to  thy  Creatour  which  that  the  wroghte, 
And  with  his  precious  herte-blood  thee  boghte, 
Thou  art  so  fals  and  so  unkynde,  alias  ! 

Now,  goode  men,  God  forgeve  yow  youre 
trespas, 

And  ware  yow  fro  the  synne  of  avarice. 

Myn  hooly  pardoun  may  yow  alle  warice,1 
So  that  ye  offre  nobles,  or  sterlynges,2  9981 
Or  elles  silver  broches,  spoones,  rynges. 
Boweth  youre  heed  under  this  hooly  bulle  ! 
Com  up,  ye  wyves,  offreth  of  youre  wolle  ! 
Youre  names  I  entre  heer  in  my  rolle  anon ; 
In-to  the  blisse  of  hevene  shul  ye  gon  ; 

I  yow  assoille 3  by  myn  heigh  power,  — 

Yow  that  wol  offre,  —  as  clene  and  eek  as  cleer 
As  ye  were  born  ;  and  lo,  sires,  thus  I  preche, 
And  Jhesu  Crist,  that  is  oure  soules  leche,4 
So  graunte  yow  his  pardoun  to  receyve,  9991 
For  that  is  best,  I  wol  yow  nat  deceyve. 

1  Heal.  2  Sterling  money,  pence.  3  Absolve.  4  Physician. 
VOL.  I.  2 7 


4 1 8 


WORDS  OF  THE  PILGRIMS. 


Words  of  the  Pardoner ,  the  Host  atid  the 
Knight. 

“  But,  sires,  o  word  forgat  I  in  my  tale  ; 

I  have  relikes  and  pardoun  in  my  male  1 
As  faire  as  any  man  in  Engelond,  (12,855  T.) 
Whiche  were  me  geven  by  the  popes  hond. 

If  any  of  yow  wole  of  devocioun 
Offren,  and  han  myn  absolucioun, 

Com  forth  anon,  and  kneleth  heere  adoun, 

And  mekely  receyveth  my  pardoun  ;  10,000 

Or  elles  taketh  pardoun  as  ye  wende, 

A1  newe  and  fressh  at  every  miles  ende,  — 

So  that  ye  offren  alwey  newe  and  newe 
Nobles  or  pens  whiche  that  be  goode  and  trewe. 
It  is  an  honour  to  everich  that  is  heer 
That  ye  mowe  have  a  suffisant  Pardoneer 
Tassoille  yow  in  contree  as  ye  ryde, 

For  aventures  2  whiche  that  may  bityde. 
Paraventure  ther  may  fallen  oon  or  two 
Doun  of  his  hors  and  breke  his  nekke  atwo  ; 
Looke  which  a  seuretee  is  it  to  yow  alle,  10,011 
That  I  am  in  youre  felaweshipe  yfalle, 

That  may  assoille  yow,  bothe  moore  and  lasse,8 
Whan  that  the  soule  shal  fro  the  body  passe. 

I  rede  that  oure  Hoost  heere  shal  bigynne, 

For  he  is  moost  envoluped  in  synne  ! 

Com  forth,  sire  Hoost,  and  offre  first  anon, 

1  Bag.  2  Accidents.  3  Great  and  small. 


WORDS  OF  THE  PILGRIMS.  419 

And  thou  shalt  kisse  my  relikes  everychon,  — 
Ye,  for  a  grote  !  Unbokele  anon  thy  purs.” 

“  Nay,  nay,”  quod  he,  “thahne  have  I  Cristes 
curs !  10,020 

Lat  be,”  quod  he,  “  it  shal  nat  be,  so  theech  ; 1 
Thou  woldest  make  me  kisse  thyn  olde  breech, 
And  swere  it  were  a  relyk  of  a  seint, 

Though  it  were  with  thy  fundement  depeint;2 
But,  by  the  croys  which  that  Seint  Eleyne  fond, 
I  wolde  I  hadde  thy  coillons  3  in  myn  hond 
In  stide  of  relikes,  or  of  seintuarie. 

Lat  kutte  hem  of,  I  wol  with  thee  hem  carie, 
They  shul  be  shryned  in  an  hogges  toorcl.” 

This  Pardoner  answerde  nat  a  word  ;  10,030 
So  wrooth  he  was  no  word  ne  wolde  he  seye. 

“  Now,”  quod  oure  Hoost,  “  I  wol  no  lenger 
pleye  (12,892  t.) 

With  thee,  ne  with  noon  oother  angry  man.” 
But  right  anon  the  worthy  Knyght  bigan,  — 
Whan  that  he  saugh  that  al  the  peple  lough,  — 
“  Namoore  of  this,  for  it  is  right  ynough  ! 
Sire  Pardoner,  be  glad  and  myrie  of  cheere  ; 
And  ye,  sir  Hoost,  that  been  to  me  so  deere, 

I  prey  yow  that  ye  kisse  the  Pardoner  •  10,039 
And  Pardoner,  I  prey  thee  drawe  thee  neer, 
And  as  we  diden,  lat  us  laughe  and  pleye.” 
Anon  they  kiste  and  ryden  forth  hir  weye. 

1  Thrive  I.  2  Painted.  3  Testicles. 


420 


THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 


The  Preamble  of  the  Wyves  Tale  of  Bathe. 

Experience,  though  noon  auctoritee  (5583  t.) 
Were  in  this  world,  were  right  ynogh  to  me 
To  speke  of  wo  that  is  in  mariage ; 

For,  lordynges,  sith  I  twelf  yeer  was  of  age,  — 
Ythonked  be  God,  that  is  eterne  on  lyve  ! 
Housbondes  at  chirche  dore  I  have  had  fyve  ; 
For  I  so  ofte  have  ywedded  bee  ; 

And  alle  were  worthy  men  in  hir  degree.  10,050 
But  me  was  toold  certeyn,  nat  longe  agoon  is, 
That  sith  that  Crist  ne  wente  nevere  but  onis 
To  weddyng  in  the  Cane  of  Galilee, 

That  by  the  same  ensample  taughte  1  he  me 
That  I  ne  sholde  wedded  be  but  ones. 

Herkne,  eek,  which  a  sharpe  worde  for  the 
nones, 

Beside  a  welle  Jhesus,  God  and  man, 

Spak  in  repreeve  of  the  Samaritan  : 

“  Thou  hast  yhad  fyve  housbondes,”  quod  he, 

“  And  that  man  the  which  that  hath  now  thee 
Is  noght  thyn  housbonde  ;  ”  thus  seyde  he  cer¬ 
teyn.  10,061 

What  that  he  rnente  ther  by,  I  kan  nat  seyn  ; 
But  that  I  axe  why  that  the  fifthe  man 
Was  noon  housbonde  to  the  Samaritan  ? 

How  manye  myghte  she  have  in  mariage  ? 

Yet  herde  I  nevere  tellen  in  myn  age  (5606  t.) 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  thoughte,”  and  omits  “  that  ”  and  “  he.” 


“DAUN  SALOMON.”  42  I 

Upon  this  nombre  diffinicioun. 

Men  may  devyne,  and  glosen  up  and  doun, 

But  wel  I  woot,  expres,  with-oute  lye, 

God  bad  us  for  to  wexe  and  multiplye.  10,070 
That  gentil  text  kan  I  wel  understonde  ; 

Eek  wel  I  woot  he  seyde  myn  housbonde 
Sholde  lete  1  fader  and  mooder,  and  take  me  ; 
But  of  no  nombre  mencioun  made  he, 

Of  bigamye,2  or  of  octogamye  ; 

Why  sholde  men  speke  of  it  vileynye. 

Lo,  heere  the  wise  kyng  daun  Salomon  ; 

I  trowe  he  hadde  wyves  mo  than  oon ; 

As,  wolde  God,  it  were  leveful  un-to  me 
To  be  refresshed  half  so  ofte  as  he  !  10,080 

Which  3  gifte  of  God  hadde  he  for  alle  hise 
wyvys  ! 

No  man  hath  swich  that  in  this  world  alyve  is. 
God  woot  this  noble  kyng,  as  to  my  wit, 

The  firste  nyght  had  many  a  myrie  fit 
With  ech  of  hem,  so  wel  was  hym  on  lyve. 

Yblessed  be  God,  that  I  have  wedded  fyve  ! 
Welcome  the  sixte,  whan  that  evere  he  shal, 
For  sothe  I  wol  nat  kepe  me  chaast  in  al. 
Whan  myn  housbonde  is  fro  the  world  ygon, 
Som  cristen  man  shal  wedde  me  anon  ;  10,090 
For  thanne,  thapostle  seith,  I  am  free 
To  wedde,  a  Goddes  half,4  where  it  liketh 
me. 

He  seith  to  be  wedded  is  no  synne,  — 

1  Leave.  2  Marrying  twice.  3  What  a.  4  “  In  the  Lord  ” 


422 


THE  WIFE  S  PREAMBLE. 


“  Bet  is  it 1  to  be  wedded  than  to  brynne.”  2 
What  rekketh  me  thogh  folk  seye  vileynye 
Of  shrewed  Lameth,  and  his  8  bigamye  ? 

I  woot  wel  Abraham  was  an  hooly  man, 

And  Jacob  eek,  as  ferforth  as  I  kan, 

And  ech  of  hem  hadde  wyves  mo  than  two, 
And  many  another  man  also.  10,100 

Whanne  saugh  ye  evere  in  any  manere  age 
That  hye  God  defended 4  mariage 
By  expres  word  ?  I  pray  you  telleth  me  ; 

Or  where  comanded  he  virginitee  ? 

I  woot  as  wel  as  ye,  it  is  no  clrede,5 
Whan  thapostel  speketh  of  maydenhede, 

He  seyde  that  precept  ther-of  hadde  he  noon. 
Men  may  conseille  a  womman  to  been  oon, 

But  conseillyng  is  nat  coman  dement. 

He  putte  it  in  oure  owene  juggement ;  io,iio 
For  hadde  God  comanded  maydenhede 
Thanne  hadde  he  dampned  6  weddyng  with  the 
dede  ;  (5652  t.) 

And  certein,  if  ther  were  no  seed  y-sowe, 
Virginitee,  wher-of  thanne  sholde  it  growe  ? 
Poul  ne  dorste  nat  comanden,  atte  leeste, 

A  thyng  of  which  his  maister  gaf  noon  heeste. 
The  dart 7  is  set  up  of  virginitee, 

Cacche  who  so  may,  who  renneth  best  lat  see ! 

But  this  word  is  nat  taken  of  every  wight, 
But  ther  as  God  lust  gyve  it  of  his  myght. 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Burn.  »  Elies.  MS.  has  “  of.”  4  For¬ 
bade.  5  In  faith.  6  Condemned.  7  Prize. 


COUNSEL  IS  NOT  COMMAND.  423 

I  woot  wel  the  Apostel  was  a  mayde,  10,121 
But  nathelees,  thogh  that  he  wroot  and  sayde 
He  wolde  that  every  wight  were  swich  as  he, 

A1  nys  but  conseil  to  virginitee  ; 

And  for  to  been  a  wyf  he  gaf  me  leve 
Of  indulgence,  so  it  is  no  repreve 
To  wedde  me  if  that  my  make  1  dye, 

With  outen  excepcioun  of  bigamye, 

A1  were  it  good  no  wommaa  for  to  touche,  — 
He  mente  as  in  his  bed  or  in  his  couche ; 

For  peril  is  bothe  fyr  and  tow  tassemble  ; 

Ye  knowe  what  this  ensample  may  resemble. 
This  is  al  and  som,  that  virginitee  10,133 

Moore  profiteth  than  weddyng  in  freletee  ; 2 
Freeltee  clepe  3  I,  but  if  that  he  and  she 
Wolde  lede  al  hir  lyf  in  chastitee. 

I  graunte  it  wel  I  have  noon  envie 
Thogh  maydenhede  preferre  4  bigamye  ; 

Hem  liketh  to  be  clene  body  and  goost. 

Of  myn  estaat  I  nyl  nat  make  no  boost,  10,140 
For  wel  ye  knowe  a  lord  in  his  housholcl 
He  nath  nat  every  vessel  al  of  gold  ; 

Somme  been  of  tree,  and  doon  hir  lord  servyse. 
God  clepeth  folk  to  hym  in  sondry  wyse, 

And  everich  hath  of  God  a  propre  gifte,  — • 

Som  this,  som  that,  as  hym  liketh  to  shifte. 

Virginitee  is  greet  perfeccioun, 

And  continence  eek,  with  devocioun ; 

But  Crist,  that  of  perfeccioun  is  welle,5 

1  Mate.  2  Frailty.  3  Call.  4  Be  superior  to.  6  Source. 


424  THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 

Bad  nat  every  wight  he  sholde  go  selle  10,150 
All  that  he  hadde,  and  gyve  it  to  the  poore, 
And  in  swich  wise  folwe  hym  and  his  foore.1 
He  spak  to  hem  that  wolde  lyve  parfitly, 

And,  lordynges,  by  youre  leve,  that  am  nat  I. 

I  wol  bistowe  the  flour  of  myn  age 
In  the  actes  and  in  fruyt  of  mariage. 

Telle  me  also,  to  what  conclusioun 
Were  membres  ymaad  of  generacioun, 

And  for  what  profit  was  a  wight  ywroght  ? 
Trusteth  right  wel,  they  were  nat  maad  for 
noght.  10,160 

Glose  who  so  wole,  and  seye  bothe  up  and  doun, 
That  they  were  maad  for  purgacioun 
Of  uryne  bothe,  and  thynges  smale,  (5703  T.) 
And  eek  to  knowe  a  femele  from  a  male, 

And  for  noon  oother  cause,  —  sey  ye  no  ? 

The  experience  woot  wel  it  is  noght  so  ; 

So  that  the  clerkes  be  nat  with  me  wrothe, 

I  sey,  yis,  that  they  beth  maked  for  bothe  ; 
This  is  to  seye,  for  office,  and  for  ese  10,169 
Of  engendrure,  ther  we  nat  God  displese. 

Why  sholde  men  elles  in  hir  bookes  sette 
That  a  man  shal  yelde  to  his  wyf  hire  dette  ? 
Now  wher-with  sholde  he  make  his  paiement, 

If  he  ne  used  his  sely 2  instrument  ? 

Thanne  were  they  maad  up-on  a  creature, 

To  purge  uryne  and  for  engendrure. 

1  Conduct  (faring,  going).  Cf.  1.  11,977.  2  Harmless  (Ger. 

selig,  happy). 


“I  NAM  NAT  PRECIUS.”  425 

But  I  seye  noght  that  every  wight  is  holde, 
That  hath  swich  hartleys  as  I  of  tolde, 

To  goon  and  usen  hem  in  engendrure,  — 

They  shul  nat  take  of  chastitee  no  cure.  10,180 
Crist  was  a  mayde  and  shaped  as  a  man, 

And  many  a  seint  sith  that 1  the  world  bigan, 
Yet  lyved  they  evere  in  parfit  chastitee. 

I  nyl  nat  envye  no  virginitee, 

Lat  hem  be  breed  of  pured  whete  seed, 

And  lat  us  wyves  hoten  2  barly  breed, 

And  yet  with  barly  breed  Mark  telle  kan 
Oure  Lord  refresshed  many  a  man. 

In  swich  estaat  as  God  hath  cleped  us 
I  wol  persevere,  I  nam  nat  precius  ;3  10,190 

In  wyfhode  I  wol  use  myn  instrument 
As  frely  as  my  Makere  hath  it  sent. 

If  I  be  daunger'ous,4  God  geve  me  sorwe  ; 

Myn  housbonde  shal  it  have  bothe  eve  and 
morwe, 

Whan  that  hym  list  com  forth  and  paye  his 
dette. 

An  housbonde  I  wol  have,  I  nyl  nat  lette, 
Which  shal  be  bothe  my  dettour  and  my  thral, 
And  have  his  tribulacioun  with  al 
Up-on  his  flessh,  whil  that  I  am  his  wyf. 

I  have  the  power  durynge  al  my  lyf  10,200 
Up-on  his  propre  body,  and  noght  he. 

Right  thus  the  Apostel  tolde  it  un-to  me, 

And  bad  oure  housbondes  for  to  love  us  weel ; 
Al  this  sentence  me  liketh  every  deel. 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Be  called.  3  Fastidious.  4  Sparing. 


426 


THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 


Behold  the  words  of  the  Pardo?ier  to  the  Wife 
of  Bath. 

Up  stirte  the  Pardoner,  and  that  anon  ; 

“  Now,  dame,”  quod  he,  “  by  God  and  by  Seint 
John  ! 

Ye  been  a  noble  prechour  in  this  cas. 

I  was  aboute  to  wedde  a  wyf,  alias  ! 

What,  sholde  I  bye  1  it  on  my  flessh  so  deere  ? 
Yet  hadde  I  levere  wedde  no  wyf  to-yeere  !  ”  2 
“  Abyde,”  quod  she,  “my  tale  is  nat  bi- 
gonne.  10,211 

Nay,  thou  shalt  drynken  of  another  tonne 
Er  that  I  go,  shal  savoure  wors  than  ale ; 

And  whan  that  I  have  toold  forth  my  tale 
Of  tribulacioun  in  3  mariage,  (5755  T‘) 

Of  which  I  am  expert  in  al  myn  age,  — 

This  to  seyn,  my  self  have  been  the  whippe,  — 
Than  maystow  chese  wheither  thou  wolte  sippe 
Of  that  tonne  that  I  shal  abroche.4 
Be  war  of  it,  er  thou  to  ny  approche,  10,220 
For  I  shal  tell  ensamples  mo  than  ten, 

4  Who  so  that  nyl  be  war  by  othere  men, 

By  hym  shul  othere  men  corrected  be  ;  ’ 

The  same  wordes  writeth  Protholomee ; 

Rede  it  in  his  Almageste  and  take  it  there.” 

“  Dame,  I  wolde  praye,  if  youre  wyl  it  were,” 
Seyde  this  Pardoner,  “  as  ye  bigan 

1  Suffer.  2  This  year.  8  Elies  MS.  has  “  that  is  in.”  4  Tap. 


pardoner’s  words  to  the  wife.  427 

Telle  forth  youre  tale  ;  spareth  for  no  man, 
And  teche  us  yonge  men  of  youre  praktike.” 

“  Gladly,  sires,  sith  it  may  yow  like  ;  10,230 
But  yet  I  praye  to  al  this  compaignye, 

If  that  I  speke  after  my  fantasye, 

As  taketh  not  agrief 1  of  2  that  I  seye, 

For  myn  entente  is  nought 2  but  for  to  pleye.” 

Bihoold  how  this  goode  Wyf  served  hir  hous- 

bondes. 

Now,  sire,  now  wol  I  telle  forth  my  tale. 

As  evere  moote  I  drynken  wyn  or  ale 
I  shal  seye  sooth  of  housbondes  that  I  hadde, 
As  thre  of  hem  were  goode,  and  two  were 
badde. 

The  thre  were  goode  men  and  riche,  and  olde ; 
Unnethe  myghte  they  the  statut  holde  10,240 
In  which  that  they  were  bounden  un-to  me  ; 

Ye  woot  wel  what  I  meene  of  this,  pardee  ! 

As  help  me  God,  I  laughe  whan  I  thynke 
How  pitously  a-nyght  I  made  hem  swynke  ! 
And,  by  my  fey,  I  tolde  3  of  it  no  stoor ; 

They  had  me  geven  hir  gold  and  hir  tresoor, 
Me  neded  nat  do  lenger  diligence 
To  wynne  hir  love,  or  doon  hem  reverence  ; 
They  loved  me  so  wel,  by  God  above, 

That  I  ne  tolde  no  deyntee  4  of  hir  love  !  10,250 
A  wys  wornman  wol  sette  hire  evere  in  oon 

1  Amiss.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  s  Counted.  4  Set  no  value  on. 


428 


THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 


To  gete  hire  love  ther  as  she  hath  noon  ; 

But  sith  I  hackle  hem  hoolly  in  myn  hond, 

And  sith  they  hadde  me  geven  all  hir  lond, 
What  sholde  I  taken  heede  hem  for  to  plese, 
But  it  were  for  my  profit  and  myn  ese  ? 

I  sette  hem  so  a  werke,  by  my  fey, 

That  many  a  nyght  they  songen  “  weilawey  !  ” 
The  bacoun  was  nat  fet 1  for  hem,  I  trowe, 
That  som  men  han  in  Essexe  at  Dunmowe.2 
I  governed  hem  so  wel  after  my  lawe,  10,261 
That  ech  of  hem  was  ful  blisful  and  fawe  3 
To  brynge  me  gaye  thynges  fro  the  fay  re ; 
They  were  ful  glad  whan  I  spak  to  hem  faire, 
For,  God  it  woot,  I  chidde  hem  spitously. 

Now  herkneth  hou  I  baar  me  proprely, 

Ye  wise  wyves  that  kan  understonde.  (5807  t.) 
Thus  shul  ye  speke,  and  beren  hem  on 
honde, 

For  half  so  boldely  kan  ther  no  man 

Swere  and  lye  as  a  womman  kan.  10,270 

I  sey  nat  this  by  wyves  that  been  wyse, 

But  if  it  be  whan  they  hem  mysavyse. 

A  wys  wyf  shal,4  if  that  she  kan  5  hir  good, 

Bere  hym  on  honde  that4  the  cow  is  wood,6 
And  take  witnesse  of  hir  owene  mayde 
Of  hir  assent;  but  herkneth  how  I  sayde. 

“  Sire,  olde  kaynard,7  is  this  thyn  array  ? 

1  Fetched.  2  Happy  married  couples  have  claimed  the  flitch  as 
lately  as  1838,  1851,  1855,  and  1876.  3  Fain.  *  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 

5  Know.  0  Face  him  down  with  the  false  assertion  that  the  cow  is 
mad.  The  allusion  appears  to  be  to  some  story.  7  Rascal. 


“IF  I  HAVE  A  GOSSIB.”  429 

Why  is  my  neighebores  wyf  so  gay  ? 

She  is  honoured  over  al  ther  she  gooth  ; 

I  sitte  at  hoom,  I  have  no  thrifty  clooth.  10,280 
What  clostow  at  my  neighebores  hous  ? 

Is  she  so  fair  ?  artow  so  amorous  ? 

What  rowne  1  ye  with  oure  mayde  ?  Benedicite  ! 
Sire,  olde  lecchour,  lat  thy  japes  be  ! 

And  if  I  have  a  gossib  or  a  freend, 

With-outen  gilt  thou  chidest  as  a  feend, 

If  that  I  walke  or  pleye  un-to  his  hous. 

Thou  comest  hoom  as  dronken  as  a  mous 
And  prechest  on  thy  bench  with  yvel  preef  :  2 
Thou  seist  to  me  it  is  a  greet  meschief  10,290 
To  wedcle  a  povre  womman  for  costage ; 

And  if  she  be  riche  and  of  heigh  parage,3 
Thanne  seistow  it  is  a  tormentrie 
To  soffren  hire  pride  and  hire  malencolie  ; 

And  if  that  she  be  faire,  thou  verray  knave, 
Thou  seyst  that  every  holour  4  wol  hire  have ; 
She  may  no  while  in  chastitee  abyde 
That  is  assailled  up-on  eche  syde. 

“  Thou  seyst  som  folk  desiren  us  for  richesse, 
Somme  for  oure  shape,  sotnme  for  oure  fair- 
nesse,  10,300 

And  som  for  she  kan  synge  and  daunce, 

And  som  for  gentillesse,  and  som  for  daliaunce, 
Som  for  hir  handes,  and  hir  armes  smale,  — 
Thus  goth  al  to  the  devel  by  thy  tale  ! 

Thou  seyst  men  may  nat  kepe  a  castel  wal, 

It  may  so  longe  assailled  been  over  al. 

1  Whisper.  2  Proof.  3  Kindred.  4  Rake. 


430  the  wife’s  preamble. 

“  And  if  that  she  be  foul,  thou  seist  that  she 
Coveiteth  every  man  that  she  may  se, 

For  as  a  spaynel  she  wol  on  hym  lepe,  10,309 
Til  that  she  fynde  som  man  hire  to  chepe  ; 1 
Ne  noon  so  grey  a  goos  gooth  in  the  lake, 

As,  seistow,  wol  been  with-oute  make ; 

And  seyst  it  is  an  hard  thyng  for  to  welde  2 
A  thyng  that  no  man  wole,  his  thankes,3  helde.4 
Thus  seistow,  lorel,6  whan  thow  goost  to  bedde, 
And  that  no  wys  man  nedeth  for  to  wedde, 

Ne  no  man  that  entendeth  un-to  hevene. 

With  wilde  thonder  dynt  and  firy  levene  6 
Moote  thy  welked 7  nekke  be  to-broke  !  (5859  t.) 
“  Thow  seyst  that  droppyng  houses,  and  eek 
smoke,  10,320 

And  chidyng  wyves,  maken  men  to  flee 
Out  of  hir  owene  houses,  a  benedicitee  ! 

What  eyleth  swich  an  old  man  for  to  chide  ? 

“  Thow  seyst  that  we  wyves  wol  oure  vices 
hide 

Til  we  be  fast,  and  thanne  we  wol  hem  she  we, — 
Wei  may  that  be  a  proverbe  of  a  shrewe.  • 

“  Thou  seist  that  oxen,  asses,  hors,  and 
houndes, 

They  been  assayd  at  diverse  stoundes  ; 8 
Basyns,  lavoures,  er  that  men  hem  bye, 

Spoones  and  stooles,  and  al  swich  housbondrye, 
And  so  been  pottes,  clothes,  and  array;  10,331 

1  Buy,  market.  2  Govern.  3  Willingly.  Cf.  1.  1626.  4  Hold. 

6  Scamp.  6  Lightning.  7  Dried  up.  8  Times. 


“OLDE  BAREL-FUL  OF  LYES  !  ”  43  I 

But  folk  of  wyves  maken  noon  assay 
Til  they  be  wedded,  —  olde  dotard  shrewe  ! 
Thanne,  seistow,  we  wol  oure  vices  shewe. 

“  Thou  seist  also  that  it  displeseth  me 
But  if  that  thou  wolt  preyse  my  beautee, 

And  but  thou  poure  1  alwey  up-on  my  face, 

And  clepe  me  ‘  faire  dame  ’  in  every  place  ; 
And  but  thou  make  a  feeste  on  thilke  day 
That  I  was  born,  and  make  me  fressh  and  gay; 
And  but  thou  do  to  my  norice  honour,  10,341 
And  to  my  chambrere  with-inne  my  bour,2 
And  to  my  fadres  folk  and  hise  allyes,  — 

Thus  seistow,  olde  barel-ful  of  lyes  ! 

“  And  yet  of  oure  apprentice  Janekyn, 

For  his  crispe  heer,  shynynge  as  gold  so  fyn, 
And  for  he  squiereth  3  me  bothe  up  and  doun, 
Yet  hastow  caught  a  fals  suspecioun,  — 

I  wol  hym  noght,  thogh  thou  were  deed  to¬ 
rn  orwe  ! 

“  But  tel  me,  why  hydestow  with  sorwe  10,350 
The  keyes  of  thy  cheste,  awey  fro  me  ? 

It  is  my  good,  as  wel  as  thyn,  pardee  ! 

What !  wenestow  make  an  ydiot  of  oure  dame  ? 
Now,  by  that  lord  that  called  is  Seint  Jame, 
Thou  shalt  nat  bothe,  thogh  thou  were  wood, 
Be  maister  of  my  body  and  of  my  good ; 

That  oon  thou  shalt  forgo,  maugree  thynp  eyen  ! 
What  nedeth  thee  of  me  to  enquere  or  spyen  ? 

I  trowe  thou  woldest  loke  4  me  in  thy  chiste  ; 

1  Pore,  gaze.  2  Chamber.  8  Escorteth.  4  Lock. 


432  THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 

Thou  sholdest  seye,  ‘  Wyf,  go  wher  thee  liste  ; 
Taak  youre  disport,  I  wol  leve  1  no  talys ; 

I  knowe  yow  for  a  trewe  wyf,  dame  Alys.’ 

We  love  no  man  that  taketh  kepe,  or  charge, 
Wher  that  we  goon  ;  we  wol  ben  at  our  large. 

“Of  alle  men  yblessed  moot  he  be,  10,365 
The  wise  astrologien,  Daun  Protholome, 

That  seith  this  proverbe  in  his  Almageste, 

‘  Of  alle  men  his  wysdom  is  the  hyeste  (5908  t.) 
That  rekketh  nevere  who  hath  the  world  in 
honde.’ 

By  this  proverbe  thou  shalt  understonde, 

Have  thou  ynogh,  what  thar  thee  recche 2  or 
care  10,371 

How  myrily  that  othere  folkes  fare  ? 

For  certeyn,  olde  dotard,  by  youre  leve, 

Ye  shul  have  queynte  3  right  ynogh  at  eve. 

He  is  to  greet  a  nygard  that  wolde  werne  4 
A  man  to  lighte  his  candle  at  his  lanterne. 

He  shal  have  never  the  lasse  light,  pardee  ! 
Have  thou  ynogh,  thee  thar  nat  pleyne  6  thee. 

“  Thou  seyst  also,  that  if  we  make  us  gay 
With  clothyng,  and  with  precious  array,  10,380 
That  it  is  peril  of  oure  chastitee ; 

And  yet  with  sorwe  thou  most  enforce  thee, 
And  seye  thise  wordes  in  the  Apostles  name  : 

‘  In  habit  maad  with  chastitee  and  shame, 

Ye  wommen  shul  apparaille  yow,’  quod  he, 

‘  And  noght  in  tressed  heer,  and  gay  perree,6 

1  Believe.  2  Reck,  3  Cf.  1.  3276.  4  Warn,  ward  off.  5  Com¬ 

plain.  6  Jewels. 


“  ARGUS,  WITH  HISE  HUNDRED  EVEN.”  433 

As  perles,  ne  with  gold,  ne  clothes  riche.’ 

After  thy  text,  ne  after  thy  rubriche, 

I  wol  nat  wirche  as  muchel  as  a  gnat. 

“  Thou  seydest  this,  that  I  was  lyk  a  cat ; 
For  who  so  wolde  senge  a  cattes  skyn,  10,391 
Thanne  wolde  the  cat  wel  dwellen  in  his  in  ; 1 
And  if  the  cattes  skyn  be  slyk  and  gay, 

She  wol  nat  dwelle  in  house  half  a  day ; 

But  forth  she  wole,  er  any  day  be  dawed,2 
To  shewe  hir  skyn,  and  goon  a  caterwawed  ; 3 
This  is  to  seye,  if  I  be  gay,  sire  shrewe, 

I  wol  renne  out  my  borel 4  for  to  shewe. 

“  Sire,  olde  fool,  what  eyleth  thee  to  spyen  ? 
Thogh  thou  preye  Argus  with  hise  hundred 
eyen  10,400 

To  be  my  wardecors,6  as  he  kan  best, 

In  feith,  he  shal  nat  kepe  me  but  me  lest; 

Yet  koude  I  make  his  berd,6  so  moot  I  thee  ! 

“  Thou  seydest  eek,  that  ther  been  thynges 
thre 

The  whiche  thynges  troublen  al  this  erthe, 

And  that  no  wighte  may  endure  the  ferthe. 

O  leeve  sire  shrewe,  Jhesu  shorte  thy  lyf  ! 

Yet  prechestow  and  seyst  an  hateful  wyf 
Yrekened  is  for  oon  of  thise  meschances. 

Been  ther  none  othere  maner  7  resemblances 
That  ye  may  likne  youre  parables  to,  10,411 
But  if  a  sely  8  wyf  be  oon  of  tho  ? 

1  Lodging.  2  Dawned.  3  Caterwauling.  4  Clothes.  5  Body¬ 
guard.  8  Befool  him.  Cf.  1.  4096.  7  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  8  Harmless. 

VOL.  I.  28 


434  THE  wife’s  preamble. 

“  Thou  liknest  eek 1  wommenes  love  to  helle, 
To  bareyne  lond,  ther  water  may  nat  dwelle  ; 
Thou  liknest  it  also  to  wilde  fyr,  (5955  t.) 
The  moore  it  brenneth  the  moore  it  hath  desir 
To  consumen  every  thyng  that  brent  wole  be  ; 
Thou  seyst,  right  as  wormes  shende  a  tree, 
Right  so  a  wyf  destroyeth  hire  housbond  ; 

This  knowe  they  that  been  to  wyves  bonde.” 
Lordynges,  right  thus  as  ye  have  under- 
stonde  10,421 

Baar  I  stifly  myne  olde  housbondes  2  on  honde, 
That  thus  they  seyden  in  hir  dronkenesse  ; 

And  al  was  fals,  but  that  I  took  witnesse 
On  Janekyn,  and  on  my  nece  also. 

O  Lord,  the  peyne  I  dide  hem  and  the  wo  ! 

Ful  giltelees,  by  Goddes  sweete  pyne  ! 

For  as  an  hors  I  koude  byte  and  whyne  ; 

I  koude  pleyne,  thogh  I  were  in  the  gilt, 

Or  elles  often  tyme  hadde  I  been  spilt.3  10,430 
“Who  so  that1  cometh  first  to  mille  first  grynt 
I  pleyned  first,  so  was  oure  werre  y-stynt ; 

They  were  ful  glad  to  excusen  hem  blyve 
Of  thyng  of  which  they  nevere  agilte  4  hir  lyve. 

Of  wenches  wolde  I  beren  hym  on  honde, 6 
Whan  that  for  syk  unnethes 6  myghte  he  stonde  ; . 
Yet  tikled  it  his  herte,  for  that  he 
Wende  that  I  hadde  of  hym  so  greet  chiertee  ! 7 
1  swoor  that  al  my  walkynge  out  by  nyghte 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Cf.  1.  10,239.  8  Ruined.  4  Were  guilty 

of.  6  Scarcely.  0  Falsely  accuse.  Cf.  1.  5042.  7  Tenderness. 


“  I  QUITTE  HEM  WORD  FOR  WORD.”  435 

Was  for  tespye  wenches  that  he  dighte.1  10,440 
Under  that  colour  hadde  I  many  a  myrthe, 

For  al  swich  thyng  was  geven  us  in  oure 
byrthe,  — 

Deceite,  wepyng,  spynnyng,  God  hath  geve 
To  wommen  kyndely  2  whil  that  they  may  lyve  ; 
And  thus  of  o  thyng  I  avaunte  me, 

Atte  ende  I  hadde  the  bettre  in  ech  degree,  — 
By  sleighte,  or  force,  or  by  som  maner  thyng, 
As  by  continued  murmure  or  grucchyng. 
Namely  3  abedde  hadden  they  meschaunce  ; 
Ther  wolde  I  chide  and  do  hem  no  plesaunce  ; 
I  wolde  no  lenger  in  the  bed  abyde,  10,451 
If  that  I  felte  his  arm  over  my  syde, 

Til  he  had  maad  his  raunsoun  un-to  me  ; 
Thanne  wolde  I  suffre  hym  do  his  nycetee  ; 
And  ther-fore  every  man  this  tale  I  telle,  — 
Wynne  who  so  may,  for  al  is  for  to  selle  ; 

With  empty  hand  men  may  none  haukes  lure.4 
For  wynnyng  5  wolde  I  al  his  lust  endure 
And  make  me  a  feyned  appetit,  10,459 

And  yet  in  bacoun  hadde  I  nevere  delit ; 

That  made  me  that  evere  I  wolde  hem  chide  ; 
For  thogh  the  pope  hadde  seten  hem  biside 
I  wolde  nat  spare  hem  at  hir  owene  bord, 

For,  by  my  trouthe,  I  quitte  hem  word  for  word. 
As  helpe  me  verray  God  omnipotent,  (6005  T.) 
Though  I  right  now  sholde  make  my  testa¬ 
ment, 

1  Decked.  2  By  nature.  3  Especially.  4  Cf.  1.  4134-  6  Profit. 


43^  THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 

I  ne  owe  hem  nat  a  word  that  it  nys  quit. 

I  broghte  it  so  aboute  by  my  wit 

That  they  moste  geve  it  up  as  for  the  beste, 

Or  elles  hadde  we  nevere  been  in  rest;  10,470 
For  thogh  he  looked  as  a  wood  leoun, 

Yet  sholde  he  faille  of  his  conclusioun. 

Thanne  wolde  I  seye,  “  Goode  lief,1  taak 
keepe,  — 

How  mekely  looketh  Wilkyn,  oure  sheepe  ! 
Com  neer,  my  spouse,  lat  me  ba  2  thy  cheke  ; 
Ye  sholde  been  al  pacient  and  meke, 

And  han  a  sweete,  spiced  3  conscience, 

Sith  ye  so  preche  of  Jobes  pacience. 

Suffreth  alwey,  syn  ye  so  wel  kan  preche, 

And,  but  ye  do,  certein  we  shal  yow  teche 
That  it  is  fair  to  have  a  wyf  in  pees.  10,481 
Oon  of  us  two  moste  bowen,  doutelees, 

And  sith  a  man  is  moore  resonable 

Than  womman  is,  ye  moste  been  suffrable. 

What  eyleth  yow  to  grucche  thus  and  grone? 

Is  it  for  ye  wolde  have  my  queynte  allone  ? 

Wy,  taak  it  al !  lo,  have  it  every  deel  ! 

Peter  !  I  shrewe  yow,  but  ye  love  it  weel  ; 

For  if  I  wolde  selle  my  bele  chose , 

I  koude  walke  as  fressh  as  is  a  rose  ;  10,490 

But  I  wol  kepe  it  for  youre  owene  tooth. 

Ye  be  to  blame,  by  God !  I  sey  yow  sooth.” 
Swiche  manere  wordes  hadde  we  on  honde. 
Now  wol  I  speken  of  my  fourthe  housbonde. 

1  Love.  2  Kiss.  3  Scrupulous.  Cf.  1.  526. 


“my  fourthe  housbonde.”  437 

My  fourthe  housbonde  was  a  revelour ; 

This  is  to  seyn,  he  hadde  a  paramour  ; 

And  I  was  yong  and  ful  of  ragerye, 

Stibourne  and  strong  and  joly  as  a  pye. 

Wei  koude  I  daunce  to  an  harpe  smale, 

And  synge,  ywis,  as  any  nyghtyngale,  10,500 
Whan  I  had  dronke  a  draughte  of  sweete  wyn. 

Metellius,1  the  foule  cherl,  the  swyn  ! 

That  with  a  staf  birafte  his  wyf  hire  lyf, 

For  she  drank  wyn  ;  thogh  I  hadde  been  his 
wyf 

He  sholde  nat  han  daunted  me  fro  drynke  ! 
And  after  wyn  on  Venus  moste  I  thynke, 

For  al  so  siker  as  cold  engendreth  hayl, 

A  likerous  mouth  moste  han  a  likerous  tayl. 

In  wommen  vinolent  is  no  defence,  — 

This  knowen  lecchours  by  experience.  10,510 
But,  Lord  Crist !  whan  that  it  remembreth  me 
Up-on  my  yowthe,  and  on  my  jolitee,  (6052  t.) 
It  tikleth  me  aboute  myn  herte  roote  ! 

Un-to  this  day  it  dooth  myn  herte  boote 
That  I  have  had  my  world  as  in  my  tyme. 

But  Age,  alias  !  that  al  wole  envenyme, 

Hath  me  biraft  my  beautee  and  my  pith,  — 

Lat  go,  fare  wel,  the  devel  go  therwith  ! 

The  flour  is  goon,  ther  is  namoore  to  telle, 

The  bren,  as  I  best  kan,  now  moste  I  selle  ; 
But  yet  to  be  right  myrie  wol  I  fonde.2  10,521 
Now  wol  I  tellen  of  my  fourthe  housbonde. 

1  The  margin  of  the  Elies.  MS.  refers  to  Valerius  Maximus.  2  Try. 


438  THE  wife’s  preamble. 

I  seye  I  hadcle  in  herte  greet  despit 
That  he  of  any  oother  had  delit ; 

But  he  was  quit,  by  God,  and  by  Seint  Joce  ! 1 
I  made  hym  of  the  same  wode  2  a  croce. 

Nat  of  my  body  in  no  foul  manere, 

But  certeinly  I  made  folk  swich  cheere, 

That  in  his  owene  grece  I  made  hym  frye 
For  angre,  and  for  verray  jalousye.  10,530 
By  God,  in  erthe  I  was  his  purgatorie, 

For  which  I  hope  his  soule  be  in  glorie  ! 

For  God  it  woot,  he  sat  ful  ofte  and  song 
Whan  that  his  shoo  ful  bitterly  hym  wrong.3 
Ther  was  no  wight  save  God  and  he  that  wiste 
In  many  wise  how  soore  I  hym  twiste. 

He  deyde  whan  I  cam  fro  Jerusalem, 

And  lith  ygrave  under  the  roode 4  beem. 

A1  is  his  tombe  noght  so  curyus 

As  was  the  sepulcre  of  hym  Daryus,  10,540 

Which  that  Appelles  wroghte  subtilly  ; 

It  nys  but  wast  to  burye  hym  preciously. 

Lat  hym  fare  wel,  God  geve  his  soule  reste, 

He  is  now  in  his  grave  and  in  his  cheste  ! 

Now  of  my  fif the  housbonde  wol  I  telle. 

God  lete  hise  soule  nevere  come  in  helle ! 

And  yet  was  he  to  me  the  mooste  shrewe  ; 

That  feele  I  on  my  ribbes  al  by  rewe,6 

And  evere  shal,  un-to  myn  endyngday;  10,549 

But  in  oure  bed  he  was  ful  fressh  and  gay ; 

1  Judocus.  2  That  is,  of  jealousy.  8  An  allusion  to  the  Roman  who 
divorced  his  wife  for  some  fault  not  apparent.  He  said  the  wearer 
knows  where  his  shoe  pinches.  Cf.  1.  13,889.  4  Cross.  B  Row. 


(( 


MY  FIFTHE  HOUSBONDE. 


439 


And  ther-with-al  so  wel  koude  he  me  glose, 
Whan  that  he  wokle  han  my  bele  chose , 

That  thogh  he  hadde  me  bet  on  every  bon,1 
He  koude  Wynne  agayn  my  love  anon. 

I  trowe  I  loved  hym  beste  for  that  he 
Was  of  his  love  daungerous  2  to  me. 

We  wommen  han,  if  that  I  shal  nat  lye, 

In  this  matere  a  queynte  fantasye  ; 

Wayte  !  what  thyng  we  may  nat  lightly  have 
Ther  after  wol  we  crie  al  day  and  crave.  10,560 
Forbede  us  thyng,  and  that  desiren  we ; 
Preesse  on  us  faste  and  thanne  wol  we  fie. 
With  daunger  oute  3  we  al  oure  chaffare  ; 

Greet  prees  4  at  market  maketh  deere  ware, 
And  to  greet  cheepe 5  is  holde  at  litel  prys  ; 
This  knoweth  every  womman  that  is  wys. 

My  fifthe  housbonde,  God  his  soule  blesse  ! 
Which  that  I  took  for  love,  and  no  richesse, 

He  som  tymewas  a  clerk  of  Oxenford,(6io9  t.) 
And  hadde  left  scole  and  wente  at  horn  to 
bord  10,570 

With  my  gossib,6  dwellynge  in  oure  toun  ; 

God  have  hir  soule,  hir  name  was  Alisoun. 

She  knew  my  herte,  and  eek  my  privetee, 

Bet  than  oure  parisshe  preest,  as  moot  I  thee.7 
To  hire  biwreyed  I  my  conseil  al, 

For  hadde  myn  housbonde  pissed  on  a  wal, 

Or  doon  a  thyng  that  sholde  han  cost  his  lyf, 


1  Beaten  on  every  bone.  2  Sparing.  3  Give  out.  4  Demand. 
s  Market,  supply.  6  Godmother,  sponsor.  {Sib,  kin.)  7  Thrive. 


440  the  wife’s  preamble. 

To  hire,  and  to  another  worthy  wyf, 

And  to  my  nece,  which  that  I  loved  weel, 

I  wolde  han  toold  his  conseil  every  deel  ; 

And  so  I  dide  ful  often,  God  it  woot,  10,581 
That  made  his  face  ful  often  reed  and  hoot 
For  verray  shame,  and  blamed  hym  self  for  he 
Had  toold  to  me  so  greet  a  pryvetee. 

And  so  bifel  that  ones  in  a  lente, 

So  often  tymes  I  to  my  gossyb,  wente,  — 

For  evere  yet  I  loved  to  be  gay, 

And  for  to  walke  in  March,  Averill  and  May, 
Fro  hous  to  hous  to  heere  sondry  talys,  — 
That  Jankyn  clerk,  and  my  gossyb,  dame  Alys, 
And  I  my  self  in-to  the  feeldes  wente.  10,591 
Myn  housbonde  was  at  London  al  the  lente  ; 

I  hadde  the  bettre  leyser  for  to  pleye, 

And  for  to  se,  and  eek  for  to  be  seye  1 
Of  lusty  folk.  What  wiste  I  wher  my  grace  2 
Was  shapen  for  to  be,  or  in  what  place  ? 
Therfore  I  made  my  visitaciouns 
To  vigilies  and  to  processiouns, 

To  prechyng  eek,  and  to  thise  pilgrimages, 

To  pleyes  of  myracles,  and  to  mariages,  10,600 
And  wered  upon  8  my  gaye  scarlet  gytes.4 
Thise  wormes,  ne  thise  motthes,  ne  thise  mytes, 
Upon  my  peril  frete  6  hem  never  a  deel. 

And  wostow  why  ?  For  they  were  used  weel. 

Now  wol  I  tellen  forth  what  happed  me. 

I  seye  that  in  the  feeldes  walked  we 

1  Seen.  1  Favor.  3  Upon  me.  4  Gowns.  5  Did  eat. 


“  JANKYN,  OURE  CLERK.”  44 1 

Till  trewely  we  hadde  swich  daliance, 

This  clerk  and  I,  that  of  my  purveiance  1 
I  spak  to  hym,  and  seyde  hym  how  that  he, 

If  I  were  wydwe,  sholde  weclde  me  ;  10,610 

For  certeinly,  —  I  sey  for  no  bobance,2  — 

Yet  was  I  nevere  with-outen  purveiance 
Of  mariage,  nof  3  othere  thynges  eek. 

I  holde  a  mouses  herte  nat  worth  a  leek 
That  hath  but  oon  hole  for  to  sterte  to, 

And  if  that  faille  thanne  is  al  ydo.  (6156  t.) 
I  bar  hym  on  honde  he  hadde  enchanted 
me,  — 

My  dame  taughte  me  that  soutiltee,  — 

And  eek  I  seyde,  I  mette  of  hym  al  nyght, 

He  wolde  han  slayn  me  as  I  lay  up  right,  10,620 
And  al  my  bed  was  ful  of  verray  blood ; 

But  yet  I  hope  that  he  shal  do  me  good, 

For  blood  bitokeneth  gold,  as  me  was  taught ; 
And  al  was  fals,  I  dremed  of  it  right  naught, 
But  I  folwed  ay  my  dames  loore, 

As  wel  of  this  as  of  othere  thynges  moore. 

But  now,  sire,  —  lat  me  se,  —  what  I  shal 
seyn  ? 

A  ha  !  by  God,  I  have  my  tale  ageyn. 

Whan  that  my  fourthe  housbonde  'was  on 
beere 

I  weepte  algate  and  made  sory  cheere,  10,630 
As  wyves  mooten,  for  it  is  usage, 

And  with  my  coverchief  4  covered  my  visage ; 


1  Prudence.  2  Boast.  8  Nor  of.  4  Pronounced  kerchef. 


442  THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 

But,  for  that  I  was  purveyed  of  a  make,1 
I  wepte  but  smal,  and  that  I  undertake  ! 

To  chirche  was  myn  housbonde  born  a 
morwe 

With  neighebores,  that  for  hym  maden  sorwe, 
And  Jankyn,  oure  clerk,  was  oon  of  tho. 

As  help  me  God,  whan  that  I  saugh  hym  go 
After  the  beere,  me  thoughte  he  hadde  a  paire 
Of  legges  and  of  feet  so  clene  and  faire,  10,640 
Thai  al  myn  herte  I  gaf  un-to  his  hoold. 

He  was,  I  trowe,  a  twenty  wynter  oold, 

And  I  was  fourty,  if  I  shal  seye  sooth  ; 

But  yet  I  hadde  alwey  a  coltes  tooth. 
Gat-tothed2  I  was,  and  that  bicam  me  weel, 

I  hadde  the  prente  of  seint  Venus  seel. 

As  help  me  God,  I  was  a  lusty  oon, 

And  faire  and  riche,  and  yong,  and  wel  bigon,8 
And  trewely,  as  myne  housbondes  tolde  me, 

I  hadde  the  beste  quonyam  4  myghte  be  ;  10,650 
For  certes,  I  am  al  Venerien 
In  feelynge,  and  myn  herte  is  Marcien  ; 

Venus  me  gaf  my  lust,  my  likerousnesse, 

And  Mars  gaf  me  my  sturdy  hardynesse. 

Myn  ascendent  was  Taur  and  Mars  ther-inne ; 
Allas  !  alias  !  that  evere  love  was  synne  ! 

I  folwed  ay  myn  inclinacioun 
By  vertu  of  my  constellacioun, 

That  made  me  I  koude  noght  withdrawe 
My  chambre  of  Venus  from  a  good  felawe. 

1  Mate.  2  Cf.  1.  468.  3  In  a  good  way.  4  Cf.  1.  10,374. 


“  STIBOURNE  I  WAS.”  443 

Yet  have  I  Martes  mark  up-on  my  face,  10,661 
And  also  in  another,  privee,  place, 

For  God  so  wys  be  my  savacioun, 

I  ne  loved  nevere  by  no  discrecioun, 

But  evere  folwed  myn  appetit,  —  (6205  t.) 

A1  were  he  short,  or  long,  or  blak,  or  whit ; 

I  took  no  kepe,  so  that  he  liked  me, 

How  poore  he  was,  ne  eek  of  what  degree. 

What  sholde  I  seye,  but  at  the  monthes  ende 
This  joly  clerk,  Jankyn,  that  was  so  hende,1 
Hath  wedded  me  with  greet  solempnytee, 

And  to  hym  gaf  I  all  the  lond  and  fee,  10,672 
That  evere  was  me  geven  ther-bifoore  ; 

But  afterward  repented  me  ful  soore. 

He  nolde  suffre  nothyng  of  my  list ; 

By  God,  he  srnoot  me  ones,  on  the  lyst,'2 
For  that  I  rente  out  of  his  book  a  leef, 

That  of  the  strook  myn  ere  wax  al  deef. 
Stibourne  I  was  as  is  a  leonesse, 

And  of  my  tonge  a  verray  jangleresse  ;  10,680 
And  walke  I  wolde,  as  I  had  doon  biforn, 

From  hous  to  hous,  al-though  he  had  it  sworn  ; 
For  which  he  often  tymes  wolde  preche, 

And  me  of  olde  Romayn  geestes  teche; 

How  he,  Symplicius  Gallus,3  lefte  his  wyf, 

And  hire  forsok  for  terme  of  al  his  lyf, 

Noght  but  for  open-heveded 4  he  hir  say  5 
Lokynge  out  at  his  dore  upon  a  day.  x  0,688 

1  Civil.  2  Fillet.  Cf.l.  3243.  Camb.  MS.  has  “with  hyse  fyst.” 
8  The  margin  again  refers  to  Valerius.  4  Bare-headed.  5  Saw. 


444 


THE  WIFE’S  PREAMBLE. 


Another  Romayn  1  tolcle  he  me  by  name 
That,  for  his  wyf  was  at  a  someres  game 
With-outen  his  wityng,  he  forsook  hire  eke  ; 
And  thanne  wolde  he  up-on  his  Bible  seke 
That  ilke  proverbe  of  Ecclesiaste, 

Where  he  comandeth,  and  forbedeth  faste,2 
Man  shal  nat  suffre  his  wyf  go  roule  3  aboute. 
Thanne  wolde  he  seye  right  thus,  with-outen 
doute  : 

Who  so  that  buyldeth  his  hous  al  of  salwes ,4 
And priketh  his  blynde  hors  over  the  falwesp 
And  suffreth  his  wyf  to  go  seken  halwesp 
Is  worthy  to  been  hanged  on  the  galwes  ;  10,700 

But  al  for  noght,  I  sette  noght  an  hawe 
Of  his  proverbes  nof  7  his  olde  sawe  ; 

Ne  I  wolde  nat  of  hym  corrected  be. 

I  hate  hym  that  my  vices  telleth  me, 

And  so  doo  mo,  God  woot,  of  us  than  I. 

This  made  hym  with  me  wood  al  outrely ; 

I  nolde  noght  forbere  hym  in  no  cas. 

Now  wol  I  seye  yow  sooth,  by  Seint  Thomas  ! 
Why  that  I  rente  out  of  his  book  a  leef,  10,709 
For  which  he  smoot  me  so  that  I  was  deef. 

He  hadde  a  book  that  gladly  nyght  and  day 
For  his  desport  he  wolde  rede  alway. 

He  cleped  it  “Valerie  ”8  and  “  Theofraste,” 9 
At  whiche  book  he  lough  alwey  ful  faste  ; 

1  Sempronius  Sophus.  2  Positively.  3  Ramble.  4  Oziers. 
5  Fallow  lands.  0  Shrines.  Cf.  1.  10,599.  7  Ne  of.  8  Epistola 

Valerii  ad  Rufinum ,  De  non  Ducenda  Uxore ,  by  Walter  Map 
9  Liber  Aureolus  Theophrasti,  De  Nuptiis.  Cf.  1.  13,630. 


“BOOK  OF  W1KKED  WYVES.”  445 


And  eek  tber  was  som  tyme  a  clerk  at  Rome, 

A  cardinal,  that  highte  Seint  Jerome,  (6256  t.) 
That  made  a  book  agayn  Jovinian,1 
In  whiche  book  eek  ther  was  Tertulan,2 
Crisippus,3  Trotula,4  and  Helowys,5 
That  was  abbesse  nat  fer  fro  Parys  ;  10,720 

And  eek  the  Parables  of  Salomon, 

Ovides  Art,6  and  bookes  many  on ; 

And  alle  thise  were  bounden  in  o  volume  ; 

And  every  nyght  and  day  was  his  custume, 
Whan  he  hadde  leyser  and  vacacioun 
From  oother  worldly  occupacioun, 

To  reden  on  this  book  of  wikked  wyves. 

He  knew  of  hem  mo  legendes  and  lyves 
Than  been  of  goode  wyves  in  the  Bible ; 

For,  trusteth  wel,  it  is  an  impossible  10, 730 
That  any  clerk  wol  speke  good  of  wyves,  — 
But  If  it  be  of  hooly  Seintes  lyves,  — 

Ne  noon  oother  womman  never  the  mo. 

Who  peynted  the  leoun  ?  Telle  me  who.7 
By  God  !  if  wonnnen  hadde  writen  stories, 

As  clerkes  han  with-inne  hire  oratories, 

They  wolde  han  writen  of  men  rnoore  wikked- 
nesse 

Than  all  the  mark8  of  Adam  may  redresse. 
The  children  of  Mercurie  and  Venus 

1  Liher  adversus  Jovinianum,  in  which  the  two  works  above 

mentioned  are  quoted.  2  Tertullian  wrote,  in  De  Cultu  Feminarum, 

on  the  folly  of  woman’s  over-much  dressing.  3  Perhaps  the  Stoic. 

4  A  medical  writer.  6  Letters  of  Hdloise  to  Abelard.  0  Art  of  Love. 

7  Perhaps  Chaucer,  in  the  now  lost  Boke  of  the  Leon ,  for  which  he 

asks  pardon  in  the  Parson’s  Tale,  1.  19,330.  8  Image,  i.  e.,  sons. 


446  the  wife’s  preamble. 

Been  in  hir  wirkyng  ful  contrarius  ;  10,740 

Mercurie  loveth  wysdam  and  science, 

And  Venus  loveth  ryot  and  dispence  ; 

And  for  hire  diverse  disposicioun 
Each  falleth  in  otheres  exaltacioun  ; 

And  thus,  God  woot,  Mercurie  is  desolat 
In  Pisces,  wher  Venus  is  exaltat ; 

And  Venus  falleth  ther  Mercurie  is  reysed; 
Therefore  no  woraman  of  no  clerk  is  preysed. 
The  clerk  whan  he  is  oold,  and  may  noght  do 
Of  Venus  werkes  worth  his  olde  sho,  10,750 
Thanne  sit  he  doun  and  writ  in  his  dotage 
That  wommen  kan  nat  kepe  hir  mariage. 

But  now  to  purpos  why  I  tolde  thee 
That  I  was  beten  for  a  book,  pardee. 

Up-on  a  nyght  Jankyn  that  was  oure  sire 
Redde  on  his  book,  as  he  sat  by  the  fire, 

Of  Eva  first,  that  for  hir  wikkednesse 
Was  al  mankynde  broght  to  wrecchednesse  ; 
For  whiche  Crist  hym  self  was  slayn,  10,759 
That  boghte  us  with  his  herte  blood  agayn. 

Lo,  heere  expres  of  womman  may  ye  fynde, 
That  womman  was  the  los  of  al  mankynde. 

Tho  redde  he  me  how  Sampson  loste  hise 
heres ;  (6303  T.) 

Slepynge,  his  lemman  kitte  it  with  hir  sheres ; 
Thurgh  which  tresoun  loste  he  bothe  hise  eyen. 

Tho  redde  he  me,  if  that  I  shal  nat  lyen, 

Of  Hercules  and  of  his  Dianyre, 

That  caused  hym  to  sette  hymself  afyre. 


JANKYN  REDDE  ON  HIS  BOOK.  447 

No  thyng  forgat  he  the  sorwe  and  wo 
That  Socrates  hadde  with  hise  wyves  two  ; 

How  Xantippa  caste  pisse  up-on  his  heed. 

This  sely  man  sat  stille  as  he  were  deed  ;  10,772 
He  wiped  his  heed,  namoore  dorste  he  seyn 
But,  “  Er  that  thonder  stynte  comth  a  reyn  !  ” 
Of  Phasifpha,  that  was  the  queene  of  Crete, 
For  shrewednesse  hym  thoughte  the  tale  swete. 
Fy  !  speke  namoore  ;  it  is  a  grisly  thyng, 

Of  hire  horrible  lust  and  hir  likyng  ! 

Of  Clitermystra,  for  hire  lecherye 
That  falsly  made  hire  housbonde  for  to  dye ; 
He  redde  it  with  ful  good  devocioun.  10,781 
He  tolde  me  eek  for  what  occasioun 
Amphiorax  at  Thebes  loste  his  lyf  ; 

Myn  housbonde  hadde  a  legende  of  his  wyf. 

Eriphilem,  that  for  an  ouche  of  gold 
Hath  prively  un-to  the  Grekes  told 
Wher  that  hir  housbonde  hidde  hym  in  a  place, 
For  which  he  hadde  at  Thebes  sory  grace. 

Of  Lytna  tolde  he  me,  and  of  Lucye  •  10,789 
They  bothe  made  hir  housbondes  for  to  dye, — 
That  oon  for  love,  that  oother  was  for  hate. 
Lyma  hir  housbonde  up-on  an  even  late 
Empoysoned  hath  for  that  she  was  his  fo ; 
Lucia  likerous  loved  hire  housbonde  so, 

That,  for  he  sholde  alwey  up-on  hire  thynke, 
She  gaf  hym  swich  a  manere  love  drynke 
That  he  was  deed,  er  it  were  by  the  morwe  ; 
And  thus  algates  housbondes  han  sorw. 


448  the  wife’s  preamble. 

Thanne  tokle  he  me  how  oon  Latumyus 
Compleyned  un-to  his  felawe  Arrius  10,800 
That  in  his  gardyn  growed  swich  a  tree, 

On  which  he  seyde  how  that  hise  wyves  thre 
Hanged  hem  self  for  herte  despitus. 

“  O  leeve  brother,”  quod  this  Arrius, 

“  Gif  me  a  plante  of  thilke  blissed  tree, 

And  in  my  gardyn  planted  it  shal  be  !  ” 

Of  latter  date  of  wyves  hath  he  red, 

That  somme  han  slayn  hir  housbondes  in  hir 
bed,  10,808 

And  lete  hir  lecchour  dighte  hire  al  the  nyght, 
Whan  that  the  corps  lay  in  the  floor  up-right  ; 
And  somme  han  dryve  nayles  in  hir  brayn 
Whil  that  they  slepte,  and  thus  they  han  hem 
slayn.  (6352  T.) 

Somme  han  hem  geve  poysoun  in  hire  drynke ; 
He  spak  moore  harm  than  herte  may  bithynke ; 
And  ther-with-al  he  knew  of  mo  proverbes, 
Than  in  this  world  ther  growen  gras  or  herbes. 
“  Bet  is,”  quod  he,  “  thyn  habitacioun 
Be  with  a  leoun  or  a  foul  dragoun,  10,818 
Than  with  a  womman  usynge  for  to  chyde,” 

“  Bet  is,”  quod  he,  “  hye  in  the  roof  abyde, 
Than  with  an  angry  wyf  doun  in  the  hous.” 
They  been  so  wikked  and  contrarious, 

They  haten  that  hir  housbondes  loven  ay. 

He  seyde  a  womman  cast  hir  shame  away 
Whan  she  cast  of  hir  smok ;  and  forther  mo, 

A  fair  womman,  but  she  be  chaast  also, 


“DEERE  SUSTER  ALISOUN  !  ”  449 

Is  lyk  a  gold  ryng  in  a  sowes  nose. 

Who  wolde  leeve,1  or  who  wolde  suppose, 

The  wo  that  in  myn  herte  was,  and  pyne  ? 

And  whan  I  saugh  he  wolde  nevere  fyne 2 
To  reden  on  this  cursed  book  al  nyght,  10,831 
A1  sodeynly  thre  leves  have  I  plyght 3 
Out  of  his  book,  right  as  he  radde,  and  eke 
I  with  my  fest  so  took  hym  on  the  cheke, 

That  in  oure  fyr  he  fil  bakward  adoun  ; 

And  he  up  stirte  as  dooth  a  wood  leoun, 

And  with  his  fest  he  smoot  me  on  the  heed, 
That  in  the  floor  I  lay  as  I  were  deed ; 

And  whan  he  saugh  how  stille  that  I  lay, 

He  was  agast  and  wolde  han  fled  his  way, 

Til  atte  laste  out  of  my  swogh  I  breyde.  10,841 
“  O  hastow  slayn  me,  false  theef  ?  ”  I  seyde  ; 

“  And  for  my  land  thus  hastow  mordred  me  ? 
Er  I  be  deed,  yet  wol  I  kisse  thee.” 

And  neer  he  cam,  and  kneled  faire  adoun, 
And  seyde,  “  Deere  suster  Alisoun  ! 

As  help  me  God,  I  shal  thee  nevere  smyte. 
That  I  have  doon  it  is  thy  self  to  wyte  ; 4 
Forgeve  it  me,  and  that  I  thee  biseke 10,849 
And  yet,  eft-soones,  I  hitte  hym  on  the  cheke, 
And  seyde,  “  Theef  !  thus  muchel  am  I  wreke. 
Now  wol  I  dye,  I  may  no  lenger  speke.” 

But  atte  laste,  with  muchel  care  and  wo, 

We  fille  acorded  by  us  selven  two. 

He  gaf  me  al  the  bridel  in  myn  hond, 

1  Believe.  2  End.  8  Plucked.  4  Blame. 

VOL.  I.  29 


450  THE  SUMMONER  AND  FRIAR  WRANGLE. 

To  han  the  governance  of  hous  and  lond, 

And  of  his  tonge,  and  his  hond  also, 

And  made  hym  brenne  his  book  anon  right 
tho  ; 

And  whan  that  I  hadde  geten  un-to  me 
By  maistrie  al  the  soveraynetee,  —  10,860 

And  that  he  seyde,  “  Myn  owene  trewe  wyf, 

Do  as  thee  lust  to  terme  of  al  thy  lyf ; 

Keepe  thyn  honour,  and  keepe  eek  myn  es- 
taat,” —  (6403  T.) 

After  that  day  we  hadden  never  debaat. 

God  helpe  me  so,  I  was  to  hym  as  kynde 
As  any  wyf  from  Denmark  un-to  Ynde, 

And  also  trewe,  and  so  was  he  to  me. 

I  prey  to  God,  that  sit  in  magestee, 

So  blesse  his  soule  for  his  mercy  deere. 

Now  wol  I  seye  my  tale,  if  ye  wol  heere.  10,870 

Biholde  the  wordes  bitwene  the  Somonour  and 
the  Frere. 

The  Frere  lough  whan  he  hadde  herd  al 
this ; 

“Now,  dame,”  quod  he,  “so  have  I  joye  or 
blis, 

This  is  a  long  preamble  of  a  tale.” 

And  whan  the  Somonour  herde  the  Frere  gale,1 
“Lo,”  quod  the  Somonour,  “Goddes  armes 
two  !  (6415  t.) 


1  Chuckle,  or  yell. 


“  OURE  HOOST  CRIDE,  ‘  PEES  !  45  I 

A  frere  wol  entremette1  him  evere-mo. 

Lo,  goode  men,  a  flye,  and  eek  a  frere, 

Wol  falle  in  every  dyssh  and  mateere. 

What  spekestow  of  ‘  preambulacioun  ’  ? 2 
What  ?  amble,  or  trotte,  or  pees,  or  go  sit 
doun !  10,880 

Thou  lettest  oure  disport  in  this  manere.” 

“Ye,  woltow  so,  sire  Somonour  ?  ”  quod  the 
Frere  ; 

“  Now,  by  my  feith  !  I  shal,  er  that  I  go, 

Telle  of  a  somonour  swich  a  tale  or  two 
That  alle  the  folk  shal  laughen  in  this  place. ” 

“Now  elles,  Frere,  I  bishrewe  thy  face  1” 
Quod  this  Somonour,  “  and  I  bishrewe  me 
But  if  I  telle  tales,  two  or  thre, 

Of  freres,  er  I  come  to  Sidyngborne,3 
That  I  shal  make  thyn  herte  for  to  morne, 

For  wel  I  woot  thy  pacience  is  gon.”  10,891 
Oure  Hoost  cride,  “  Pees  !  and  that  anon 
And  seyde,  “  Lat  the  woinman  telle  hire  tale  ; 
Ye  fare  as  folk  that  dronken  were  of  ale. 

Do,  dame,  telle  forth  youre  tale,  and  that  is 
best.” 

“  A1  redy,  sire,”  quod  she,  “  right  as  yow 
lest ; 

If  I  have  licence  of  this  worthy  Frere.”  10,897 
“  Yis,  dame,”  quod  he,  “  tel  forth,  and  I 
wol  heere.”  (6438  t.) 

1  Interpose.  2  He  had  just  heard  the  word  “  preamble.”  3  Forty 
miles  from  London,  where  the  Pilgrims  are  supposed  to  have  halted 
for  dinner  on  the  third  day,  after  the  Summoner’s  Tale.  Cf.  1.  12,336. 


452 


THE  WIFE’S  TALE. 


The  Wife  of  Bath's  Tale. 

In  tholde  dayes  of  the  Kyng  Arthour, 

Of  which  that  Britons  speken  greet  honour, 

All  was  this  land  fulfikl  of  fairye.  10,901 

The  elf  queene  with  hir  joly  compaignye 
Daunced  ful  ofte  in  many  a  grene  mede. 

This  was  the  olde  opinion  as  I  rede,  — 

I  speke  of  manye  hundred  yeres  ago,  — 

But  now  kan  no  man  se  none  elves  mo, 

For  now  the  grete  charitee  and  prayeres 
Of  lymytours,  and  othere  hooly  freres, 

That  serchen  every  lond  and  every  streem, 

As  thikke  as  motes  in  the  sonne  beem,  — 
Blessynge  halles,  chambres,  kichenes,  boures, 
Citees,  burghes,  castels,  hye  toures,  10,912 
Thropes,1  bernes,  shipnes,2  dayeryes,  — 

This  maketh  that  ther  been  no  fairyes  ; 

For  ther  as  wont  to  walken  was  an  elf,  (6455  t.) 
Ther  walketh  now  the  lymytour  hym  self, 

In  undermeles 8  and  in  morwenynges, 

And  seyth  his  matyns  and  his  hooly  thynges 
As  he  gooth  in  his  lymytacioun. 

Wominen  may  go  saufly  up  and  doun  ;  10,920 
In  every  bussh  or  under  every  tree, 

Ther  is  noon  oother  incubus  but  he, 

And  he  ne  wol  doon  hem  non  4  dishonour. 

1  Thorps,  hamlets.  2  Sheep-folds.  8  Dinner  time.  4  The  Elies. 
MS.  and  in  fact  most  of  the  others  have  “  but,”  which  can  hardly 
be  correct.  It  is  probably  a  mistaken  repetition,  by  the  scrivener,  of 
the  same  word  in  the  previous  line. 


453 


“A  LUSTY  BACHELER.” 

And  so  bifel  that  this  kynge,  Arthour, 
Hadde  in  hous  a  lusty  bacheler 
That  on  a  day  cam  ridynge  fro  ryver,1 
And  happed  that  allone  as  he  was  born, 

He  saugh  a  mayde  walkynge  hym  biforn, 

Of  whiche  mayde,  anon,  maugree  hir  heed, 

By  verray  force  birafte  hire  maydenhed  ; 2 
For  which  oppressioun  was  swich  clamour, 

And  swich  pursute 3  un-to  the  kyng  Arthour, 
That  dampned  was  this  knyght  for  to  be  deed 
By  cours  of  lawe,  and  sholde  han  lost  his 
heed, —  _  10,934 

Paraventure  4  swich  was  the  statut  tho,6  — 

But  that  the  queene  and  othere  ladyes  mo, 

So  longe  preyden  the  kyng  of  grace, 

Til  he  his  lyf  hym  graunted  in  the  place, 

And  gaf  hym  to  the  queene  al  at  hir  wille 
To  chese  wheither  she  wolde  hym  save  or 
spille.6  10,940 

The  queene  thanketh  the  kyng  with  al  hir 
myght, 

And  after  this  thus  spak  she  to  the  knyght, 
Whan  that  she  saugh  hir  tyme  up-on  a  day : 

“  Thou  standest  yet,”  quod  she,  “  in  swich  ar¬ 
ray, 

That  of  thy  lyf  yet  hastow  no  suretee. 

I  grante  thee  lyf,  if  thou  kanst  tellen  me 
What  thyng  is  it  that  wommen  moost  desiren,  — 


1  Hawking  for  water-fowl.  Cf.  1.  6349.  2  Maidenhood.  3  Pros¬ 

ecution.  4  By  chance.  5  Then.  8  Destroy. 


454  THE  wife’s  tale. 

Be  war,  and  keepe  thy  nekke-boon  from  iren,  — 
And  if  thou  kanst  nat  tellen  it  anon, 

Yet  shal  I  geve  thee  leve  for  to  gon  10,950 
A  twelf-month  and  a  day  to  sech'e  and  leere  1 
An  answere  suffisant  in  this  mateere ; 

And  suretee  wol  I  han  er  that  thou  pace, 

Thy  body  for  to  yelden  in  this  place.” 

Wo  was  this  knyght,  and  sorwefully  he  sik- 
eth  ; 2 

But  what  ? 3  he  may  nat  do  al  as  hym  liketh, 
And  at  the  laste  he  chees  hym  for  to  wende, 
And  come  agayn  right  at  the  yeres  ende, 

With  swich  answere  as  God  wolde  hym  purveye, 
And  taketh  his  leve,  and  wendeth  forth  his 
weye.  10,960 

He  seketh  every  hous  and  every  place 
Where  as  he  hopeth  for  to  fynde  grace 
To  lerne  what  thyng  wommen  loven  moost ; 

But  he  ne  koude  arryven  in  no  coost  (6504  T.) 
Wher  as  he  myghte  fynde  in  this  mateere 
Two  creatures  accordynge  in  feere.4 

Somme  seycle  wommen  loven  best  richesse, 
Somme  seyde  honour,  somme  seyde  jolynesse, 
Somme  riche  array,  somme  seyden  lust  abedd, 
And  ofte  tyme  to  be  wydwe  and  wedde.  10,970 
Somme  seyde  that  oure  hertes  been  moost  esed 
Whan  that  we  been  yflatered  and  yplesed. 

He  gooth  ful  ny  the  sothe,  I  wol  nat  lye,  — 
A  man  shal  Wynne  us  best  with  flaterye ; 

1  Learn.  2  Sigheth.  3  From  the  Hengwrt  MS.  4  Together. 


“  WITNESSE  ON  MYDA.  455 

And  with  attendance  and  with  bisynesse, 

Been  we  ylymed,  bothe  moore  and  lesse.1 

And  somme  seyn  that  we  loven  best 
For  to  be  free,  and  do  right  as  us  lest, 

And  that  no  man  repreve  us  of  oure  vice, 

But  seye  that  we  be  wise  and  no  thyng  nyce ; 2 
For  trewely  ther  is  noon  of  us  alle,  10,981 
If  any  wight  wol  clawe  us  on  the  galle,3 
That  we  nel  kike,4  for  he  seith  us  sooth. 

Assay,  and  he  shal  fynde  it,  that  so  dooth, 

For,  be  we  never  so  vicious  with-inne, 

We  wol  been  holden  wise  and  clene  of  synne. 

And  somme  seyn  that  greet  debt  han  we 
For  to  been  holden  stable  and  eke  secree, 

And  in  o  purpos  stedefastly  to  dwelle, 

And  nat  biwreye  thyng  that  men  us  telle ; 

But  that  tale  is  nat  worth  a  rake-stele.5  10,991 
Pardee ,  we  woramen  konne  no  thyng  hele  ; 6 
Witnesse  on  Myda,  —  wol  ye  heere  the  tale  ? 

Ovyde,  amonges  othere  thynges  smale, 

Seyde  Myda  hadde  under  his  longe  heres, 
Growynge  up-on  his  heed,  two  asses  eres, 

The  whiche  vice 7  he  hydde  as  he  best  myghte, 
Ful  subtilly,  from  every  mannes  sighte, 

That  save  his  wyf  ther  wiste  of  it  namo. 

He  loved  hire  moost,  and  triste  hire  also  ; 

He  preyde  hire  that  to  no  creature  11,001 
She  sholde  tellen  of  his  disfigure. 


1  Great  and  small.  2  Silly,  ignorant  (Fr.  nice,  Lat.  nescius). 
3  Touch  a  sore  spot.  4  Kick.  6  Rakestale.  6  Hide.  7  Blemish. 


456  the  wife’s  tale. 

She  swoor  him  nay,  for  al  this  world  to 
wynne, 

She  nolde  do  that  vileynye  or  synne, 

To  make  hir  housbonde  han  so  foul  a  name. 
She  nolde  nat  telle  it  for  hir  owene  shame ; 

But  nathelees,  hir  thoughte  that  she  dyde, 

That  she  so  longe  sholde  a  conseil  hyde ; 

Hir  thoughte  it  swal 1  so  soore  aboute  hir  herte, 
That  nedely  som  word  hire  moste  asterte  ; 

And  sith  she  dorste  telle  it  to  no  man,  u,on 
Doun  to  a  mareys  2  faste  by  she  ran.  (6552  t.) 
Til  she  came  there  her  herte  was  a-fyre, 

And  as  a  bitore  3  “  bombleth  ”  in  the  myre 
She  leyde  hir  mouth  un-to  the  water  doun  : 

“  Biwreye  me  nat,  thou  water,  with  thy  soun,” 
Quod  she,  “to  thee  I  telle  it  and  namo,  — 

Myn  housbonde  hath  longe  asses  erys  two. 

Now  is  myn  herte  all  hool,  now  it  is  oute,  1 1,019 
I  myghte  no  lenger  kepe  it,  out  of  doute.”  4 
Heere  may  ye  se,  thogh  we  a  tyme  abyde, 

Yet,  out  it  moot,  we  kan  no  conseil  hyde. 

The  remenant  of  the  tale  if  ye  wol  heere, 
Redeth  Ovyde,  and  ther  ye  may  it  leere. 

This  knyglit,  of  which  my  tale  is  specially, 
Whan  that  he  saugh  he  myghte  nat  come 
therby, 

That  is  to  seye,  what  wonunen  love  moost, 
With-inne  his  brest  ful  sorweful  was  the  goost ; 
But  hoom  he  gooth,  he  myghte  nat  sojourne, 

1  Swelled.  2  Marsh.  3  Bittern.  4  In  faith. 


“out  it  moot!”  457 

The  day  was  come  that  homward  moste  he 

tourne,  11,030 

And  in  his  wey  it  happed  hym  to  ryde 
In  al  this  care,  under  a  forest  syde, 

Wher  as  he  saugh  up-on  a  daunce  go 
Of  ladyes  foure  and  twenty,  and  yet  mo  ; 
Toward  the  which  daunce  he  drow  ful  yerne,1 
In  hope  that  som  wysdom  sholde  he  lerne  ; 

But  certeinly,  er  he  came  fully  there, 
Vanysshed  was  this  daunce,  he  nyste  where. 

No  creature  saugh  he  that  bar  lyf,  11,039 

Save  on  the  grene  he  saugh  sittynge  a  wyf ; 

A  fouler  wight  ther  may  no  man  devyse. 

Agayn  the  knyght  this  olde  wyf  gan  ryse, 

And  seyde,  “  Sire  knyght,  heer  forth  ne  lith  no 
wey; 

Tel  me  what  that  ye  seken,  by  youre  fey ! 2 
Paraventure  it  may  the  bettre  be, 

Thise  olde  folk  kan  3  muchel  thyng,”  quod  she. 
“  My  leeve  mooder,”  quod  this  knyght,  “  cer- 
teyn 

I  nam  but  deed  but  if  that  I  kan  seyn 
What  thyng  it  is  that  wommen  moost  desire  : 
Koude  ye  me  wisse  I  wolde  wel  quite 4  youre 
hire.”  11,050 

“  Plight  me  thy  trouthe  heere  in  myn  hand,” 
quod  she, 

“  The  nexte  thyng  that  I  requere  thee 
Thou  shalt  it  do,  if  it  lye  in  thy  myght, 

And  I  wol  telle  it  yow,  er  it  be  nyght.” 

1  Quickly.  2  Faith.  3  Know.  4  Requite. 


453 


THE  WIFE’S  TALE. 


“  Have  heer  my  trouthe,”  quocl  the  knyght, 
“  I  graunte  !  ” 

Thanne  quod  she,  “  I  dar  me  wel  avaunte  1 
Thy  lyf  is  sauf,  for  f  wol  stonde  therby  ; 

Up-on  my  lyf,  the  queene  wol  seye  as  I. 

Lat  se,  which  is  the  proudeste  of  hem  alle 
That  wereth  on  a  coverchief  or  a  calle,2  11,060 
That  dar  seye  ‘  nay  ’  of  that  I  shal  thee  teche. 
Lat  us  go  forth  with-outen  lenger  speche.” 

Tho  rowned  3  she  a  pistel 4  in  his  ere, 

And  bad  hym  to  be  glad  and  have  no  fere. 
Whan  they  be  comen  to  the  court,  this 
knyght  (6605  T.) 

Seyde  he  had  holde  his  day  as  he  hadde  hight, 
And  redy  was  his  answere,  as  he  sayde. 

Ful  many  a  noble  wyf,  and  many  a  mayde, 

And  many  a  wydwe,  for  that  they  been  wise, 
The  queene  hir-selfe  sittynge  as  justise,  11,070 
Assembled  been,  his  answere  for  to  heere ; 

And  afterward  this  knyght  was  bode  appeere. 

To  every  wight  comanded  was  silence, 

And  that  the  knyght  sholde  telle  in  audience 
What  thyng  that  worldly  wommen  loven  best. 
This  knyght  ne  stood  nat  stille  as  doth  a  best, 
But  to  his  questioun  anon  answerde, 

With  manly  voys,  that  al  the  court  it  herde. 

“  My  lige  lady,  generally,”  quod  he, 
“Wommen  desiren  have  sovereynetee,  11,080 
As  wel  over  hir  housbond,  as  hir  love, 

1  Boast.  2  Cap.  3  Then  whispered.  4  Epistle,  i.  e.,  a  few  words. 


“  ME  TAKE  UN-TO  THY  WIFE  ! 


459 


And  for  to  been  in  maistrie  hym  above. 

This  is  youre  mooste  desir,  thogh  ye  me  kille. 
Dootb  as  yow  list,  I  am  at  youre  wille.” 

In  al  the  court  ne  was  ther  wyf,  ne  mayde, 
Ne  wydwe,  that  contraried  that  he  sayde, 

But  seyden  he  was  worthy  han  his  lyf  ; 

And  with  that  word  up  stirte  the  olde  wyf, 
Which  that  the  knyght  saugh  sittynge  in  the 
grene ; 

“  Mercy !  ”  quod  she,  “  my  sovereyn  lady 
queene !  n,ogo 

Er  that  youre  court  departe,1  do  me  right ; 

I  taughte  this  answere  un-to  the  knyght, 

For  which  he  plighte  me  his  trouthe  there, 

The  firste  thyng  I  wolde  hym  requere, 

He  wolde  it  do,  if  it  lay  in  his  myght. 

Bifore  the  court  thanne,  preye  I  thee,  sir 
knyght,” 

Quod  she,  “  that  thou  me  take  un-to  thy  wyf, 
For  wel  thou  woost  that  I  have  kept  thy  lyf. 

If  I  sey  fals,  sey  ‘  nay,’  up-on  thy  fey !  ” 

This  knyght  answerde,  “  Allas,  and  weyla- 
wey !  11,100 

I  woot  right  wel  that  swich  was  my  biheste. 

For  Goddes  love,  as  chees  a  newe  requeste  ! 
Taak  al  my  good,  and  lat  my  body  go.” 

“  Nay,  thanne,”  quod  she,  “  I  shrewe  us 
bothe  two  ! 

For  thogh  that  I  be  foul,  and  2  oold,  and  poore, 


1  Separate.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


THE  WIFE’S  TALE. 


460 

I  nolde,  for  al  the  metal,  ne  for  oore 
That  under  erthe  is  grave,1  or  lith  above, 

But  if  thy  wyf  I  were,  and  eek  thy  love  !  ” 

“  My  ‘  love  ’ !  ”  quod  he,  “  nay,  my  dampna- 
cioun  ! 

Allas  !  that  any  of  my  nacioun  11,110 

Sholde  evere  so  foule  disparaged  be  !  ” 

But  al  for  noght,  thende  is  this,  that  he 
Constreyned  was,  he  nedes  moste  hire  wedde, 
And  taketh  his  olde  wyf,  and  gooth  to  bedde. 

Now  wolden  som  men  seye,  paraventure, 
That  for  my  necligence  I  do  no  cure  (6656  T.) 
To  tellen  yow  the  joye  and  al  tharray, 

That  at  the  feeste  was  that  ilke  day ; 

To  which  thyng  shortly  answeren  I  shal ; 

I  seye,  ther  nas  no  joye  ne  feeste  at  al.  11,120 
Ther  nas  but  hevynesse,  and  muche  sorwe, 

For  prively  he  wedded  hire  on  morwe, 

And  al  day  after  hidde  hym  as  an  owle, 

So  wo  was  hym,  his  wyf  looked  so  foule. 

Greet  was  the  wo  the  knyght  hadde  in  his 
thoght, 

Whan  he  was  with  his  wyf  abedde  ybroght. 

He  walweth,2  and  he  turneth  to  and  fro ; 

His  olde  wyf  lay  smylynge  everemo, 

And  seyde,  “  O  deere  housbonde,  benedicitee ! 
Fareth  every  knyght  thus  with  his  wyf,  as  ye  ? 
Is  this  the  lawe  of  kyng  Arthures  hous  ?  11,131 
Is  every  knyght  of  his  so  dangerous  ?  3 


1  Buried.  2  Tumbleth  about.  3  Distant. 


“  I  WALWE  AND  WYNDE.”  461 

I  am  youre  owene  love,  and  youre  wyf ; 

I  am  she  which  that  saved  hath  youre  lyf, 

And  certes,  I  dide  *  yow  nevere  unright. 

Why  fare  ye  thus  with  me,  this  firste  nyght  ? 
Ye  faren  lyk  a  man  had  lost  his  wit ; 

What  is  my  gilt  ?  For  Goddes  love  tel  it, 

And  it  shal  been  amended,  if  I  may.” 

“Amended  !  ”  quod  this  knyght,  “  alias  !  nay, 
nay!  11,140 

It  wol  nat  been  amended  nevere  mo, 

Thou  art  so  loothly,  and  so  oold  also, 

And  ther-to  comen  of  so  lough  a  kynde, 

That  litel  wonder  is  thogh  I  walwe  and  wynde.2 
So,  wolde  God  !  myn  herte  wolde  breste  !  ” 

“  Is  this,”  quod  she,  “  the  cause  of  youre 
unreste  ?  ” 

“Ye,  certeinly,”  quod  he,  “no  wonder  is.” 

“  Now,  sire,”  quod  she,  “  I  koude  amende  al 
this, 

If  that  me  liste,  er  it  were  dayes  thre ; 

So,  wel  ye  myghte  bere  yow  un-to  me.  11,150 
“  But  for  ye  speken  of  swich  gentillesse 
As  is  descended  out  of  old  richesse, 

That  therfore  sholden  ye  be  gentil  men, 

Swich  arrogance  is  nat  worth  an  hen. 

Looke,  who  that  is  moost  vertuous  alway, 
Pryvee  and  apert,3  and  moost  entendeth  ay 
To  do  the  gentil  dedes  that  he  kan, 

1  From  the  Cambridge  MS.  The  Elies.  MS.  has  “yet  ne  did  I.” 
*  Tumble  and  turn.  3  In  private  and  public. 


462  THE  WIFE’S  TALE. 

Taak  hym  for  the  grettest  gentil  man. 

Crist,  wole  we  clayme  of  hym  oure  gentillesse,1 
Nat  of  oure  eldres  for  hire  old  richesse  ;  11,160 
For,  thogh  they  geve  us  al  hir  heritage,  — 

For  which  we  clayme  to  been  of  heigh  par- 
age,2— 

Yet  may  they  nat  biquethe  for  no  thyng, 

To  noon  of  us,  hir  vertuous  lyvyng,  (6704  T.) 
That  made  hem  gentil  men  ycalled  be, 

And  bad  us  folwen  hem  in  swich  degree. 

“  Wei  kan  the  wise  poete  of  Florence,  11,167 
That  highte  Dant,  speken  in  this  sentence,  — 
Lo,  in  swich  maner  rym  is  Dantes  tale,3  — 

‘  Ful  selde  up  riseth  by  his  branches  smale 
Prowesse  of  man,  for  God  of  his  goodnesse 
Wole  that  of  hym  we  clayme  oure  gentillesse  ; 
For  of  oure  eldres  may  we  no  thyng  clayme, 
But  temporel  thyng  that  man  may  hurte  and 
may  me.’ 

“  Eek  every  wight  woot  this  as  wel  as  I, 

If  gentillesse  were  planted  natureelly, 

Un-to  a  certeyn  lynage  doun  the  lyne, 

Pryvee  nor  apert,  thanne  wolde  'they  nevere 
fyne  4 

To  doon  of  gentillesse  the  faire  office  ; 

They  myghte  do  no  vileynye  or  vice.  11,180 
“  Taak  fyr  and  ber  it  in  the  derkeste  hous, 
Bitwix  this  and  the  mount  of  Kaukasous, 

1  Cf.  Chaucer’s  ballad,  Gentiluesse.  2  Family.  8  Cf.  Longfel¬ 
low’s  Dante,  Purgatorio,  vii.  121,  and  note.  4  Stint. 


GENTILITY  IS  OF  GRACE.  463 

And  lat  men  shette  the  dores  and  go  thenne,1 
Yet  wole  the  fyr  as  faire  lye  and  brenne 
As  twenty  thousand  men  myghte  it  biholde  ; 
His  office  natureel  ay  wol  it  holde, 

Up  peril  of  my  lyf,  til  that  it  dye. 

“  Heere  may  ye  se  wel  how  that  genterye 
Is  nat  annexed  to  possessioun,2 
Sith  folk  ne  doon  hir  operacioun  11,190 

Alwey,  as  dooth  the  fyr,  lo,  in  his  kynde  ; 

For,  God  it  woot,  men  may  wel  often  fynde 
A  lordes  sone  do  shame  and  vileynye  ; 

And  he  that  wole  han  pris  3  of  his  gentrye, 

For  he  was  boren  of  a  gentil  hous, 

And  hadde  hise  eldres  noble  and  vertuous, 

And  nel  hym  selven  do  no  gentil  dedis, 

Ne  folwen  his  gentil  auncestre  that  deed  is, 

He  nys  nat  gentil,  be  he  due  or  erl ; 

For  vileyns  synful  dedes  make  a  cherl ;  11,200 
For  gentillesse  nys  but  renomee 4 
Of  thyne  auncestres,  for  hire  heigh  bountee,5 
Which  is  a-  strange  6  thyng  to  thy  persone. 

Thy  gentillesse  cometh  fro  God  allone  ; 

Thanne  comth  oure  verray  gentillesse  of  grace, 
It  was  no  thyng  biquethe  us  with  oure  place. 

“Thenketh  hou  noble,  as  seith  Valerius, 

Was  thilke  Tullius  Hostillius, 

That  out  of  poverte  roos  to  heigh  noblesse. 
Redeth  Senek,  and  redeth  eek  Boece,  11,210 


1  Thence.  2  Property.  3  Praise.  4  Renown.  6  Goodness. 
6  Foreign. 


464  the  wife’s  tale. 

Ther  sbul  ye  seen  expres,  that  no  drede  is, 1 
That  he  is  gentil  that  dooth  gentil  dedis  ; 

And  therfore,  leeve  housbonde,  I  thus  con¬ 
clude  ; 

A1  were  it  that  myne  auncestres  weren  rude, 
Yet  may  the  hye  God,  and  so  hope  I,  (6755  t.) 
Grante  me  grace  to  lyven  vertuously ; 

Thanne  am  I  gentil,  whan  that  I  bigynne 
To  lyven  vertuously  and  weyve  synne. 

“  And  ther  as  ye  of  poverte  me  repreeve, 

The  hye  God,  on  whom  that  we  bileeve,  11,220 
In  wilful  poverte  chees  to  lyve  his  lyf, 

And  certes,  every  man,  mayden,  or  wyf, 

May  understonde  that  Jhesus,  hevene  kyng, 

Ne  wolde  nat  chesen  vicious  lyvyng. 

Glad  poverte  is  an  honeste  thyng,  certeyn  ; 
This  wole  Senec  and  othere  clerkes  seyn ; 

Who  so  that  halt  hym  payd  of  2  his  poverte, 

I  holde  hym  riche,  al  hadde  he  nat  a  sherte  ; 
He  that  coveiteth  is  a  povere  wight,  11,229 
For  he  wolde  han  that  is  nat  in  his  myght ; 

But  he  that  noght  hath,  ne  coveiteth  have, 

Is  riche,  al-though  ye  holde  hym  but  a  knave. 

“  Verray  poverte,  it  syngeth  proprely; 
Juvenal  seith  of  poverte,  myrily,8 
1  The  povre  man,  whan  he  goth  by  the  weye, 
Bifore  the  theves  he  may  synge  and  pleye.’ 
Poverte  is  hateful  good,  and  as  I  gesse 
A  ful  greet  bryngere-out  of  bisynesse, 

1  In  faith.  2  Content  in.  3  Pleasantly. 


“POVERTE  A  SPECTACLE  IS.”  465 

A  greet  amendere  eek  of  sapience, 

To  hym  that  taketh  it  in  pacience.  11,240 

Poverte  is  this,  al-though  it  seme  alenge  1 
Possessioun  that  no  wight  wol  chalenge, 
Poverte  ful  ofte,  whan  a  man  is  lowe, 

Maketh  his  God,  and  eek  hym-self,  to  knowe.2 
Poverte  a  spectacle  3  is,  as  thynketh  me, 
Thurgh  which  he  may  hise  verray4  freendes  see, 
And  therfore,  sire,  syn  that  I  noght  yow  greve, 
Of  my  poverte  namoore  ye  me  repreve. 

“  Now,  sire,  of  elde  6  ye  repreve  me  ; 

And  certes,  sire,  thogh  noon  auctoritee  11,250 
Were  in  no  book,  ye  gentils  of  honour 
Seyn  that  men  sholde  an  oolcl  wight  doon  fa¬ 
vour,6 

And  clepe  hym  fader,  for  youre  gentillesse, 
And  auctours  7  shal  I  fynden,  as  I  gesse. 

“  Now,  ther  ye  seye  that  I  am  foul  and  old, 
Than  drede  you  noght  to  been  a  cokewold  ; 

For  filthe  and  eelde,  al  so  moot  I  thee  ! 8 
Been  grete  wardeyns  up-on  chastitee  : 

But  nathelees,  syn  I  knowe  youre  debt, 

I  shal  fulfille  youre  worldly  appetit.  11,260 
“  Chese  now,”  quod  she,  “  oon  of  thise 
thynges  tweye  : 

To  han  me  foul  and  old  til  that  I  deye, 

And  be  to  yow  a  trewe,  humble  wyf, 

And  nevere  yow  displese  in  al  my  lyf ; 

1  Sad.  2  To  be  known.  3  Mirror,  glass.  4  True.  6  Age. 
0  Respect.  7  Authorities,  8  Thrive. 

VOL.  I.  30 


THE  WIFE’S  TALE. 


466 

Or  elles  ye  wol  han  me  yong  and  fair,  (6805  T.) 
And  take  youre  aventure  of  the  repair  1 
That  shal  be  to  youre  hous  by  cause  of  me, 

Or  in  som  oother  place  may  wel  be  ; 

Now  chese  your  selven,  wheither  that  yow 
liketh.”  11,269 

This  knyght  avyseth  hym 2  and  sore  siketh ; 
But  atte  laste  he  seyde  in  this  manere  : 

“  My  lady  and  my  love,  and  wyf  so  deere, 

I  put  me  in  youre  wise  governance  ; 

Cheseth  youre  self  which  may  be  moost  ple- 
sance, 

And  moost  honour  to  yow  and  me  also  ; 

I  do  no  fors  3  the  wheither  of  the  two, 

For  as  yow  liketh  it  suffiseth  me.” 

“  Thanne  have  I  gete  of  yow  maistrie,”  quod 
she, 

“  Syn  I  may  chese,  and  governe  as  me  lest  ?  ” 
“Ye,  certes,  wyf,”  quod  he,  “I  holde  it  best.” 
“  Kys  me,”  quod  she,  “  we  be  no  lenger 
wrothe,  11,281 

For,  by  my  trouthe,  I  wol  be  to  yow  bothe,  — 
This  is  to  seyn,  ye,  bothe  fair  and  good. 

I  prey  to  God  that  I  moote  sterven  wood,4 
But  I  to  yow  be  al  so  good  and  trewe, 

As  evere  was  wyf  syn  that  the  world  was  newe ; 
And  but  I  be  tomorn  as  fair  to  seene 
As  any  lady,  emperice,  or  queene,  11,288 

That  is  bitwixe  the  est  and  eke  the  west, 

1  Resorting.  2  Considereth.  3  Care  not.  4  Die  mad. 


THE  WORDS  OF  THE  FRIAR.  467 

Dooth  with  my  lyf  and  deth  right  as  yow  lest. 
Cast  up  the  curtyn,  — looke,  how  that  it  is.” 

And  whan  the  knyght  saugh  verraily  al  this, 
That  she  so  fair  was,  and  so  yong  ther-to, 

For  joye  he  hente  hire  in  hise  armes  two, 

His  herte  bathed  in  a  bath  of  blisse ; 

A  thousand  tyme  arewe,1  he  gan  hire  kisse, 
And  she  obeyed  hym  in  every  thyng 
That  myghte  doon  hym  plesance  or  likyng. 

And  thus  they  lyve  un-to  hir  lyves  ende 
In  parfit  joye  ;  and  Jhesu  Crist  us  sende  11,300 
Housbondes  meeke,  yonge,  fressh  a-bedde, 

And  grace  toverbyde  2  hem  that  we  wedde, 

And  eek,  I  praye  Jhesu,  shorte  hir  lyves 
That  nat  wol  be  governed  by  hir  wyves ;  (6844  t.) 
And  olde  and  angry  nygardes  of  dispence, 

God  sende  hem  soone  verray  pestilence  ! 


The  words  of  the  Friar  Limitour  and  the  Sum - 

moner. 

This  worthy  Lymytour,  this  noble  Frere, 

He  made  alway  a  maner  louryng  chiere 
Upon  the  Somonour,  but  for  honestee  3  11,309 
No  vileyns  4  word  as  yet  to  hym  spak  he  ; 

But  atte  laste  he  seyde  un-to  the  Wyf,  (6851  T.) 
“  Dame,”  quod  he,  “  God  geve  yow  right  good 
lyf! 

Ye  han  heer  touched,  al  so  moot  I  thee  ! 


1  A-row.  2  Outlive.  8  Politeness.  4  Impolite. 


468  THE  WORDS  OF  THE  FRIAR. 

In  scole  matere  greet  difficultee. 

Ye  han  seyd  muche  thyng  right  wel,  I  seye  ; 
But,  dame,  heere  as  we  ryde  by  the  weye 
Us  nedeth  nat  to  speken  but  of  game, 

And  lete  auctoritees,1  on  Goddes  name, 

To  prechyng,  and  to  scole  of  clergye, 

And  if  it  lyke  to  this  compaignye  11,320 

I  wol  yow  of  a  somonour  telle  a  game. 

Pardee ,  ye  may  wel  knowe  by  the  name 
That  of  a  somonour  may  no  good  be  sayd. 

I  praye  that  noon  of  you  be  yvele  apayd,2  — 
A  somonour  is  a  rennere  up  and  doun 
With  mandementz  3  for  fornieacioun, 

And  is  y-bet 4  at  every  townes  ende.” 

Oure  Hoost  tho  spak,  “  A,  sire,  ye  sholde  be 
hende  5 

And  curteys,  as  a  man  of  youre  estaat, 

In  compaignye  ;  we  wol  have  no  debaat !  1 1,330 
Telleth  youre  tale,  and  lat  the  Somonour  be.” 
“Nay,”  quod  the  Somonour,  “lat  hym  seye 
to  me 

What  so  hym  list,  —  whan  it  comth  to  my  lot, 
By  God  !  I  shal  hym  quiten  every  grot ! 

I  shal  hym  tellen  which  a  greet  honour 
It  is  to  be  a  flaterynge  lymytour  ; 

And  of  many  another  manere  cryme, 

Which  nedeth  nat  rehercen  for  this  tyme, 

And  his  office  I  shal  hym  telle  ywis.” 6 


1  Leave  Scripture  texts.  2  Offended.  3  Citations.  4  Beaten. 
5  Civil.  «  Truly. 


THE  ERCHEDEKNES  BOOK.”  469 


Oure  Hoost  answerde,  “  Pees  !  namoore  of 
this!”  ii)34o 

And  after  this  he  seyde  un-to  the  Frere, 

“  Tel  forth  youre  tale,1  leeve  maister  deere.” 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Freres  Tale. 

Whilom  ther  was  dwellynge  in  my  contree 
An  erchedekene,  a  man  of  heigh  degree, 

That  boldely  dide  execucioun  (6885  t.) 

In  punysshynge  of  fornicacioun, 

Of  wicchecraft,  and  eek  of  bawderye, 

Of  diffamacioun  and  avowtrye,2 
Of  chirche-reves,3  and  of  testamentz, 

Of  contractes,  and  eek  of  lakke 4  of  sacra- 
mentz,  I][)35o 

Of  usure,  and  of  symonye  also, 

But  certes,  lecchours  dide  he  grettest  wo ; 

They  sholde  syngen  if  that  they  were  hent ; 
And  smale  tytheres  weren  foule  yshent ; 5 
If  any  persone  wolde  up-on  hem  pleyne 
Ther  myghte  asterte 6  hym  no  pecunyal  peyne. 
For  smale  tithes,  and  smal  offrynge, 

He  made  the  peple  pitously  to  synge, 

For  er  the  bisshope  caughte  hem  with  his  hook, 
They  were  in  the  erchedeknes  book  ;  11,360 


1  The  Friar’s  Tale  is  based  upon  one  included  in  a  mediseval  col¬ 
lection  made  in  the  form  of  the  Gesta  Romanorum,  but  it  was 

probably  old  then.  Two  similar  Latin  stories  were  printed  by  the 

Chaucer  Society  in  1872  :  Narratio  de  quodam  Senescallo  Sceleroso , 
and  De  Advocato  et  Diqbolo.  2  Adultery.  3  Church  wardens. 

4  Neglect.  6  Oppressed.  6  Escape. 


470  the  friar’s  tale. 

And  thanne  hadde  he,  thurgh  his  jurisdicci- 
oun, 

Power  to  doon  on  hem  correccioun. 

He  hadde  a  somonour  redy  to  his  hond  ; 

A  slyer  boye  was  noon  in  Engelond ; 

For  subtilly  he  hadde  his  espiaille  (6905  t.) 
That  taughte  hym  wher  hym  myghte  aught 1 
availle.2 

He  koude  spare  of  leech  ours  oon  or  two, 

To  techen  hym  3  to  foure  and  twenty  mo  ; 

For  thogh  this  somonour  wood  was  as  an  hare, 
To  telle  his  harlotrye  I  wol  nat  spare,  11,370 
For  we  been  out  of  his  correccioun, 

They  han  of  us  no  jurisdiccioun,4 
Ne  nevere  shullen,  terme  of  hir  lyves. 

“  Peter  !  so  been  wommen  of  the  styves,”  5 
Quod  the  Somonour,  “  yput  out  of  my  cure  !  ” 

“  Pees  !  with  myschance  and  with  mysaven- 
ture  !  ” 

Thus  seyde  our  Hoost,  “  and  lat  hym  telle  his 
tale. 

Now  telleth  forth,  thogh  that  the  Somonour 
gale,6 

Ne  spareth  nat,  myn  owene  maister  deere.” 
This  false  theef,  this  somonour,  quod  the 
Frere,  11,380 

Hadde  alwey  bawdes  redy  to  his  hond, 

As  any  hauk  to  lure  in  Engelond, 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Fall.  3  Point  out  to  him.  4  Friars  (of 
whom  the  speaker  was  one)  were  responsible  to  the  Pope,  directly. 
5  Stews  were  exempt  from  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction.  6  Yell. 


47i 


“judas  hadde  purses.” 

That  tolde  hym  al  the  secree  that  they  knewe, 
For  hire  acqueyntance  was  nat  come  of  newe ; 
They  weren  hise  approwours  1  prively. 

He  took  hym  self  a  greet  profit  therby  ; 

His  maister  knew  nat  alwey  what  he  wan. 
With-outen  mandement,  a  lewed  man 
He  koude  somne,2  on  peyne  of  Cristes  curs, 
And  they  were  glade  for  to  fille  his  purs,  11,390 
And  make  hym  grete  feestes  atte  nale  ; 3 
And  right  as  Judas  hadde  purses  smale, 

And  was  a  theef,  right  swich  a  theef  was  he. 
His  maister  hadde  but  half  his  duetee. 

He  was,  if  I  shal  geven  hym  his  laude, 

A  theef,  and  eek  a  somnour,  and  a  baude. 

He  hadde  eek  wenches  at  his  retenue 
That  wheither  that  sir  Robert,4  or  sir  Huwe,4 
Or  Jakke,  or  Rauf,  or  who  so  that  it  were 
That  lay  by  hem,  they  tolde  it  in  his  ere.  1 1,400 
Thus  was  the  wenche  and  he  of  oon  assent, 
And  he  wolde  fecche  a  feyned  mandement,6 
And  somne  hem  to  the  chapitre  bothe  two, 

And  pile6  the  man,  and  lete  the  wenche  go. 
Thanne  wolde  he  seye,  “  Freend,  I  shal  for 
thy  sake 

Do  striken  hire  out  of  oure  lettres  blake, 

Thee  thar  namoore  as  in  this  cas  travailk,1 
I  am  thy  freend,  ther  I  thee  may  availle.” 
Certeyn  he  knew  of  briberyes  mo 


1  Informers.  2  Summon.  3  Ale-house.  4  Secular  clergy. 
5  Forged  citation.  6  Plunder.  7  Sin  thus  no  more. 


472 


THE  FRIAR’S  TALE. 


Than  possible  is  to  telle  in  yeres  two;  11,410 
For  in  this  world  nys  dogge  for  the  bowe 
That  kan  an  hurt  deer  from  an  hool  yknowe 
Bet  than  this  somnour  knew  a  sly  lecchour, 

Or  an  avowtier,  or  a  paramour  ; 

And,  for  that  was  the  fruyt  of  al  his  rente, 
Therfore  on  it  he  sette  al  his  entente.  (6956  T.) 

And  so  bifel  that  ones  on  a  day 
This  somnour,  —  evere  waityng  on  his  pray, 
For  to  somne  an  old  wydwe,  a  ribibe,1 
Feynynge  a  cause,  for  he  wolde  brybe,  — 
Happed  that  he  saugh  bifore  hym  ryde  11,421 
A  gay  yeman  under  a  forest  syde. 

A  bowe  he  bar,  and  arwes  brighte  and  kene  ; 
He  hadde  up-on  a  courtepy  2  of  grene, 

An  hat  up-011  his  heed  with  frenges  blake. 
“Sire,”  quod  this  somnour,  “hayl!  and  wel 
atake  !  ” 

“  Wel-come  !  ”  quod  he,  “  and  every  good 
felawe. 

Wher  rydestow,  under  this  grene-wode  shawe,”  3 
Seyde  this  yeman  ;  “wiltow  fer  to  day  ?  ” 

This  somnour  hym  answerde  and  seyde, 
“Nay,  11,430 

Heere  faste  by,”  quod  he,  “  is  myn  entente 
To  rycien,  for  to  reysen  up  a  rente 
That  longeth  to  my  lordes  duetee.” 

“  Artow  thanne  a  bailly  ?  ”  “Ye,”  quod 

he,  — 

1  Dry,  and  shrill  of  voice.  Cf.  1.  3331.  2  Short  cloak.  3  Shade. 


“  SWORN  BRETHEREN.”  473 

He  dorste  nat  for  verray  filthe  and  shame 
Seye  that  he  was  a  somonour,  for  the  name. 

“  Depardieux  !  ”  quod  this  yeman,  “  deere 
broother ! 

Thou  art  a  bailly,  and  I  am  another. 

I  am  unknowen  as  in  this  contree  ;  11,439 

Of  thyn  aqueyntance  I  wolde  praye  thee, 

And  eek  of  bretherhede,  if  that  yow  leste ; 

I  have  gold  and  silver  in  my  cheste  ; 

If  that  thee  happe  to  comen  in  oure  shire 
A1  shal  be  thyn,  right  as  thou  wolt  desire.” 

“  Grantmercy  /”  quod  this  somonour,  “by 
my  feith  !  ” 

Everych  in  ootheres  hand  his  trouthe  leith, 

For  to  be  sworn  brethren  til  they  de'ye  ; 

In  daliance  they  ryden  forth  hir  weye. 

This  somonour  that  was  as  ful  of  jangles 
As  ful  of  venym  been  thise  waryangles,1  11,450 
And  evere  enqueryng  up-on  every  thyng ; 

“  Brother,”  quod  he,  “  where  is  now  youre 
dwellyng, 

Another  day  if  that  I  sholde  yow  seche  ?  ” 

This  yeman  hym  answerde,  in  softe  speche  : 
“Brother,”  quod  he,  “fer  in  the  north2  con- 
tree, 

Where  as  I  hope  som  tyme  I  shal  thee  see. 

Er  we  departe  I  shal  thee  so  wel  wisse 
That  of  myn  hous  ne  shaltow  nevere  mysse.” 

1  A  spiteful  bird.  2  Cf.  Paradise  Lost ,  v.  755;  Isaiah  xiv.  13, 
14;  and  Piers  Plowman ,  B.  Text,  i.  118.  The  arch-fiend  is  asso¬ 
ciated  with  the  North,  as  a  place  of  discomfort. 


474 


THE  FRIAR’S  TALE. 


“  Now,  brother,”  quod  this  somonour,  “  I 
yow  preye, 

Teche  me  whil  that  we  ryden  by  the  weye, 

Syn  that  ye  been  a  baillif  as  am  I,  11,461 

Som  subtiltee,  and  tel  me  feithfully 
In  myn  office  how  I  may  mooste  wynne, 

And  spareth  nat  for  conscience  ne  synne, 

But  as  my  brother  tel  me  how  do  ye.”  (7005  t.) 
“  Now,  by  my  trouthe,  brother  deere,”  seyde 
he, 

“  As  I  shal  tellen  thee  a  feithful  tale, 

My  wages  been  ful  streite  and  ful  smale  ; 

My  lord  is  hard  to  me  and  claungerous,1 
And  myn  office  is  ful  laborous  ;  11,470 

And  therfore  by  extorcions  I  lyve  ; 

For  sothe,  I  take  all  that  men  wol  me  geve, 
Algate  by  sleyghte,  or  by  violence. 

Fro  yeer  to  yeer  I  wynne  al  my  dispence  ; 

I  kan  no  bettre  telle,  feithfully.” 

“  Now  certes,”  quod  this  somonour,  “  so 
fare  I ; 

I  spare  nat  to  taken,  God  it  woot, 

But  if  it  be  to  hevy  or  to  hoot, 

What  I  may  gete  in  conseil  prively ; 

No  maner  conscience  of  that  have  I  ;  11,480 

Nere  2  myn  extorcioun  I  myghte  nat  lyven, 

Nor  of  swiche  japes  wol  I  nat  be  shryven. 
Stomak,  ne  conscience,  ne  knowe  I  noon  ; 

I  shrewe 3  thise  shrifte-fadres  everychoon  ! 

1  Imperious.  2  But  for.  3  Curse. 


“my  dwellyng  is  in  helle.”  475 

Wei  be  we  met,  by  God  and  by  Seint  Jame  ! 
But,  leeve  brother,  tel'me  thanne  thy  name,” 
Quod  this  somonour  ;  in  this  meene  while 
This  ye m an  gan  a  litel  for  to  smyle. 

“  Brother,”  quod  he,  “  wiltow  that  I  thee 
telle  ? 

I  am  a  feend  ;  my  dwellyng  is  in  helle,  11,490 
And  heere  I  ryde  aboute  my  purchasyng,1 
To  wite  wher  2  men  wolde  me  geven  any-thyng. 
My  purchas  3  is  theffect 4  of  al  my  rente.5 
Looke  how  thou  rydest  for  the  same  entente. 
To  Wynne  good,6  thou  rekkest  nevere  how  ; 
Right  so  fare  I,  for  ryde  I  wolde  right  now 
Un-to  the  worldes  ende  for  a  preye.” 

“  A  !  ”  quod  this  somonour,  “  benedicite  !  what 
sey  ye  ? 

I  wende  7  ye  were  a  yeman  trewely. 

Ye  han  a  mannes  shape  as  wel  as  I,  11,500 
Han  ye  a  figure  thanne  determinat 
In  helle,  ther  ye  been  in  youre  estat  ?  ” 

“Nay,  certeinly,”  quod  he,  “ther  have  we 
noon, 

But  whan  us  liketh  we  kan  take  us  oon, 

Or  elles  make  yow  seme  8  we  been  shape 
Som  tyrne  lyk  a  man,  or  lyk  an  ape  ; 

Or  lyk  an  angel  kan  I  ryde  or  go. 

It  is  no  wonder  thyng  thogh  it  be  so  ; 

A  lowsy  jogelour  kan  deceyve  thee,  1 1,509 
And  pardee  !  yet  kan  I  moore  craft  than  he.” 

1  Pursuits.  2  Whether.  3  Perquisites.  *  Sum.  B  Income. 
0  Goods.  7  Thought.  8  It  appear  to  you. 


476  the  friar’s  tale. 

“Why,”  quod  the  somonour,  “rydeye  thanne, 
or  goon 

In  sondry  shape,  and  nat  alwey  in  oon  ?  ” 

“  For  we,”  quod  he,  “  wol  us  swiche  formes 
make  (7053  T.) 

As  moost  able  1  is  oure  preyes  for  to  take.” 
“What  maketh  yow  to  han  al  this  labour?  ” 

“  Ful  many  a  cause,  leeve  sire  somonour,” 
Seyde  this  feend  ;  “  but  alle  thyng  hath  tyme  ; 
The  day  is  short,  and  it  is  passed  pryme, 

And  yet  ne  wan  I  no-thyng  in  this  day  ; 

I  wol  entende  to  wynnen  if  I  may,  11,520 
And  nat  entende  our  2  wittes  to  declare ; 

For,  brother  myn,  thy  wit  is  al  to  bare 
To  understonde,  al-thogh  I  tolde  hem  thee  ; 
But  for  thou  axest  why  labouren  we,  — 

For  som  tyme  we  been  Goddes  instrumentz, 
And  meenes  to  doon  hise  comandementz 
Whan  that  hym  list  up-on  his  creatures, 

In  divers  art  and  in  diverse  figures. 

With-outen  hym  we  have  no  myght,  certayn, 

If  that  hym  list  to  stonden  ther  agayn.3  11,530 
And  som  tyme  at  oure  prayere  han  we  leve 
Oonly  the  body  and  nat  the  soule  greve  ; 
Witnesse  on  Job,  whom  that  we  diden  wo  ; 

And  som  tyme  han  we  myght  of  bothe  two, 
This  is  to  seyn,  of  soule  and  body  eke ; 

And  somtyme  be  we  suffred  for  to  seke 4 

1  Handy  (Fr.  habile ).  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “hir.”  3  Against. 

4  Essay. 


“  SE1NT  DUNSTAN.”  477 

Up-on  a  man  and  doom  his  soule  unreste, 

And  nat  his  body,  and  al  is  for  the  beste. 

Whan  he  withstandeth  oure  temptacioun 
It  is  the  1  cause  of  his  savacioun,  —  11,540 

Al  be  it  that  it  was  nat  oure  entente 
He  sholde  be  sauf,  but  that  we  wolde  hym 
hente,2  — 

And  som  tyme  be  we  servant  un-to  man, 

As  to  the  erche  bisshope,  Seint  Dunstan ; 

And  to  the  Apostles  servant  eek  was  I.” 

“Yet  tel  me,”  quod  the  somonour,  “feith- 

fully, 

Make  ye  yow  newe  bodies  thus  alway 
Of  elementz  ?  ”  The  feend  answerde,  “Nay, 
Som  tyme  we  feyne,  and  som  tyme  we  aryse 
With  dede  bodyes,  in  ful  sondry  wyse,  11,550 
And  speke  as  renably  8  and  faire  and  wel, 

As  to  the  Phitonissa  dide  Samuel ; 

And  yet  wol  som  men  seye  it  was  nat  he. 

I  do  no  fors  4  of  youre  dyvynytee, 

But  o  thyng  warne  I  thee,  I  wol  nat  jape, 

Thou  wolt  algates  6  wite  how  we  been  shape, 
Thou  shalt  herafterwardes,  my  brother  deere, 
Come  there  thee  nedeth  nat  of  me  to  leere,6 
For  thou  shalt  by  thyn  owene  experience 
Konne  in  a  chayer  rede  7  of  this  sentence 
Bet  than  Virgile  while  he  was  on  lyve,  11,561 
Or  Dant  also  ;  now  lat  us  ryde  blyve,8 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Seize.  3  Reasonably.  4  I  care  not  for. 
r>  Notwithstanding  (thy  “divinity”).  0  Learn.  1  Know  enough  to 
lecture  in  a  professor’s  chair.  8  Quickly. 


478  the  friar’s  tale. 

For  I  wole  holcle  compaignye  with  thee 
Til  it  be  so  that  thou  forsake  me.” 

“Nay,”  quocl  this  somonour,  “that  shal  nat 
bityde !  .  (7105  t.) 

I  am  a  yeman  knowen  is  ful  wyde  ; 

My  trouthe  wol  I  holde  as  in  this  cas  ; 

For  though  thou  were  the  devel,  Sathanas, 

My  trouthe  wol  I  holde  to  my  brother, 

As  I  am  sworn,  and  ech  of  us  til  oother,  11,570 
For  to  be  trewe  brother  in  this  cas ; 

And  bothe  we  goon  abouten  oure  purchas. 
Taak  thou  thy  part,  what  that  men  wol  thee  geve, 
And  I  shal  myn,  —  thus  may  we  bothe  lyve,  — 
And  if  that  any  of  us  have  moore  than  oother, 
Lat  hym  be  trewe  and  parte  it  with  his  brother.” 

“  I  graunte,”  quod  the  devel,  “  by  my  fey  !  ” 
And  with  that  word  they  ryden  forth  hir  wey, 
And  right  at  the  entryng  of  the  townes  ende 
To  which  this  somonour  shoope  1  hym  for  to 
wende,  11,580 

They  saugh  a  cart  that  charged  was  with  hey, 
Which  that  a  cartere  droof  forth  in  his  wey. 
Deepe  was  the  wey,  for  which  the  carte  stood  : 
The  cartere  smoot  and  cryde  as  he  were  wood, 
“  Hayt,  Brok  ! 2  hayt,  Scot ! 3  what  spare  ye  for 
the  stones  ! 

The  feend,”  quod  he,  “  yow  fecche  body  and 
bones, 

As  ferforthly  as  evere  were  ye  foled  ! 

1  Planned.  2  Badger,  gray.  3  Cl.  1.  616. 


“  THAT  WAS  WEL  TWIGHT  !  ”  479 

So  muche  wo  as  I  have  with  you  tholed  ! 1 
The  devel  have  al,  bothe  hors  and  cart  and 
hey  !  ” 

This  somonour  seyde,  “  Heere  shal  we  have 
a  pley ;  ”  n,59° 

And  neer  the  feend  he  drough  as  noght  ne  were 
Ful  prively,  and  rowned  2  in  his  ere, 

“  Herkne,  my  brother  !  herkne,  by  thy  feith  ! 
Herestow  nat  how  that  the  cartere  seith  ? 

Hent 8  it  anon,  for  he  hath  geve  it  thee, 

Bothe  hey  and  cart  and  eek  hise  caples  4  thre.” 
“Nay,”  quod  the  devel,  “God  woot,  never  a 
deel. 

It  is  nat  his  entente,  trust  thou  me  weel ; 

Axe  hym  thy  self,  if  thou  nat  trowest  me, 

Or  elles  stynt  a  while,  and  thou  shalt  see.” 

This  cartere  thakketh  his  hors  up-on  the 
croupe,  11,601 

And  they  bigonne  drawen  and  to  stoupe. 

“  Heyt !  now,”  quod  he,  “  ther  Jhesu  Crist  yow 
blesse  ! 

And  al  his  handwerk  bothe  moore  and  lesse, 
That  was  wel  twight,6  myn  owene  lyard  6  boy ! 

I  pray  to  God  to  save  thee  !  and  Seint  Loy  ! 7 
Now  is  my  cart  out  of  the  slow,  pardee !  ” 

“Lo,  brother,”  quod  the  feend,  “what  tolde 
I  thee  ? 

Heere  may  ye  se,  myn  owene  deere  brother, 

1  Suffered.  2  Whispered.  3  Seize.  4  Nags.  6  Twisted.  6  Gray. 
7  St.  Eligius,  patron  of  smiths. 


480 


THE  FRIAR  S  TALE. 


The  carl  spak  oon,  but  he  thoghte  another. 

Lat  us  go  forth  abouten  oure  viage  ;  11,611 

Heere  wynne  I  no  thyng  up-on  cariage.” 

Whan  that  they  coomen  som-what  out  of 
towne 

This  somonour  to  his  brother  gan  to  rowne  : 

“  Brother,”  quod  he,  “  heere  woneth  an  old  re- 
bekke  1  (7r55  T*) 

That  hadde  almoost  as  lief  to  lese  hire  nekke, 
As  for  to  geve  a  peny  of  hir  good. 

I  wole  han  twelf  pens  though  that  she  be  wood, 
Or  I  wol  sompne  hire  uu-to  oure  office, 

And  yet,  God  woot,  of  hire  knowe  I  no  vice  ; 
But,  for  thou  kanst  nat,  as  in  this  contree,  11,621 
Wynne  thy  cost,  taak  heer  ensample  of  me.” 

This  somonour  clappeth  at  the  wydwes  gate : 
“  Com  out,”  quod  he,  “  thou  olde  virytrate  ! 2 
I  trowe  thou  hast  som  frere  or  preest  with 
thee.” 

“  Who  clappeth  ?  ”  seyde  this  wyf,  “  benedi- 
citee  ! 

God  save  you,  sire !  what  is  youre  sweete 
wille  ?  ” 

“  I  have,”  quod  he,  “  of  somonce  a  bille  ; 
Up-on  peyne  of  cursyng 3  looke  that  thou  be 
Tomorn  bifore  the  erchedeknes  knee,  11,630 
Tans  were  to  the  court  of  certeyn  thynges.” 

“  Now,  Lord,”  quod  she,  “  Crist  Jhesu,  kyn 
of  kynges, 

1  Cf.  11.  3331,  11,419.  2  Oldtrotf?).  3  Excommunication. 


CfQ  . 


AT  THE  WIDOW’S  GATE.  48 1 

So  wisly  helpe  me,  as  I  ne  may  ! 

I  have  been  syk,  and  that  ful  many  a  day  ; 

I  may  nat  go  1  so  fer,”  quod  she,  “  ne  ryde, 

But  I  be  deed,  so  priketh  it  in  my  syde. 

May  I  nat  axe  a  libel,  sire  somonour, 

And  answere  there  by  my  procuratour 
To  swich  thyng  as  men  wole  apposen 2  me  ?  ” 

“  Yis,”  quod  this  somonour,  “  pay  anon  — 
lat  se —  11,640 

Twelf  pens  to  me  and  I  wol  thee  acquite. 

I  shal  no  profit  han  ther-by  'but  lite, 

My  maister  hath  the  profit,  and  nat  I. 

Com  of,  and  lat  me  ryden  hastily ; 

Gif  me  twelf  pens,  I  may  no  lenger  tarye  !  ” 
“Twelf  pens  !  ”  quod  she,  “now  lady  Seinte 
Marie  ! 

So  wisly  help  me  God  out  of  care  and  synne, 
This  wyde  world  thogh  that  I  sholde  wynne, 
Ne  have  I  nat  twelf  pens  wi.th-inne  myn  hoold ; 
Ye  knowen  wel  that  I  am  povre  and  oold. 
Kithe  3  youre  almesse  on  nje,  povre  wrecche.” 
“  Nay,  thanne,”  quod  he,  “  the  foule  feend 
me  fecche,  11,652 

If  I  thexcusen  though  thou  shul  be  spilt !  ”  4 
“Allas!”  quod  she,  “God  woot  I  have  no 
gilt.” 

“  Pay  me  !  ”  quod  he,  “  or  by  the  sweete 
Seinte  Anne, 

As  I  wol  bere  awey  thy  newe  panne 

1  Walk.  2  Question.  8  Show.  4  Ruined. 

VOL.  I.  31 


482  THE  FRIAR’S  TALE. 

For  dette  which  that  thou  owest  me  of  old,  — 
Whan  that  thou  madest  thyn  housbonde  coke- 
wold 

I  payde  at  hoom  for  thy  correccioun.”  11,659 
“  Thou  lixt !  ”  quod  she,  “  by  my  savacioun 
Ne  was  I  nevere  er  now,  wydwe  ne  wyf, 
Somoned  un-to  youre  court  in  al  my  lyf  ! 

Ne  nevere  I  nas  but  of  my  body  trewe. 

Un-to  the  devel,  blak  and  rough  of  he  we, 

Geve  I  thy  body  and  my  panne  also  !  ”  (7205  t.) 

And  whan  the  devel  herde  hire  cursen  so 
Up-on  hir  knees,  he  sey-de  in  this  manere  : 
“Now,  Mabely,  myn  owene  moder  deere, 

Is  this  youre  wyl  in  ernest  that  ye  seye  ?” 
“The  devel,”  quod  she,  “so  fecche  hym  er 
he  deye, —  11,670 

And  panne  and  al,  but  he  wol  hym  repente  !  ” 

“  Nay,  olde  Stot !  that  is  nat  myn  entente,” 
Quod  this  somonour,  “  for  to  repente  me 
For  any  thyng  that  I  have  had  of  thee  ; 

I  wolde  I  hadde  tl^y  smok  and  every  clooth.” 
“Now,  brother,”  quod  the  devil,  “be  nat 
wrooth  : 

Thy  body  and  this  panne  been  myne  by  right ; 
Thou  shalt  with  me  to  helle  yet  to-nyght, 
Where  thou  shalt  knowen  of  oure  privetee 
Moore  than  a  maister  of  dyvynytee.”  1  11,680 

And  with  that  word  this  foule  feend  hym  hente.2 
Body  and  soule  he  with  the  devel  wente 

1  Cf.  1.  11,554.  2  Seized. 


WATCH  AND  PRAY. 


433 


Where  as  that  somonours  han  hir  heritage  ; 
And  God,  that  made  after  his  ymage 
Mankynde,  save  and  gyde  us  alle  and  some, 
And  leve  thise  somonours  goode  men  bicome  ! 
Lordynges,  I  koude  han  toold  you,  quod  this 
Frere, 

Hadde  I  had  leyser  for  this  Somnour  heere, 
After  the  text  of  Criste,  Poul,  and  John, 

And  of  oure  othere  doctours  many  oon,  11,690 
Swiche  peynes  that  youre  herte  myghte  agryse,1 
A1  be  it  so  no  tonge  may  it  devyse  ; 

Thogh  that  I  myghte  a  thousand  wynter  telle 
The  peynes  of  thilke  cursed  hous  of  helle ; 

But  for  to  kepe  us  fro  that  cursed  place 
Waketh2  and  preyeth  2  Jhesu  for  his  grace, 

So  kepe  us  fro  the  temptour  Sathanas. 

Herketh  2  this  word,  beth 2  war,  as  in  this  cas. 

“  The  leoun  sit  in  his  awayt  alway 
To  sle  the  innocent,  if  that  he  may.”  11,700 
Disposeth  2  ay  youre  hertes  to  withstonde 
The  feend  that  yow  wolde  make  thral  and 
bonde  ; 

He  may  nat  tempte  yow  over  youre  myght, 

For  Crist  wol  be  youre  champion  and  knyght ; 
And  prayeth 2  that  thise  somonours  hem  re- 
pente  (7245  t.) 

Of  hir  mysdedes,  er  that  the  feend  hem  hente ! 


1  Affright.  2  Imperative  mode. 


484  WORDS  OF  THE  SUMMONER. 


The  words  of  the  Wood  Somonour. 

This  Somonour  in  his  styropes  hye  stood. 
Up-on  this  Frere  his  herte  was  so  wood,1 
That  lyk  an  aspen-leef  he  quook  for  ire. 

“  Lordynges,”  quod  he,  “  but  o  thyng  I  de¬ 
sire, —  n^10 

I  yow  biseke  that  of  youre  curteisye,  (7251  T.) 
Syn  ye  han  herd  this  false  Frere  lye, 

As  suffereth  me  I  may  my  tale  telle. 

“  This  Frere  bosteth  that  he  knoweth  helle, 
And  God  it  woot,  that  it  is  litel  wonder  ; 

Freres  and  feendes  been  but  lyte  2  a-sonder ; 
For,  pardee!  ye  han  ofte  tyme  herd  telle 
How  that  a  frere  ravysshed  was  to  helle 
In  spirit  ones  by  a  visioun  ;  11,719 

And  as  an  angel  ladde  hym  up  and  doun 
To  shewen  hym  the  peynes  that  ther  were, 

In  al  the  place  saugh  he  nat  a  frere. 

Of  oother  folk  he  saugh  ynowe  3  in  wo. 

Un-to  this  angel  spak  the  frere  tho  : 

“  ‘  Now,  sire,’  quod  he,  *  han  freres  swich  a 
grace 

That  noon  of  hem  shal  come  to  this  place  ?  ’ 

“  ‘  Yis,’  quod  this  angel,  ‘  many  a  millioun  ;  ’ 
And  un-to  Sathanas  he  ladde  hym  doun, 

And  now  hath  Sathanas,  seith  he,  a  tayl, 
Brodder  than  of  a  carryk  4  is  the  sayl.  11,730 

1  Angry.  2  Little.  3  Enough.  4  Ship. 


WORDS  OF  THE  SUMMONER.  485 

1  Hold  up  thy  tayl,  thou  Sathanas,’  quod  he, 

‘  Shewe  forth  thyn  ers,  and  lat  the  frere  se 
Where  is  the  nest  of  freres  in  this  place  ;  ’ 

And  er  than  half  a  furlong  wey  of  space, 

Right  so  as  bees  out  swarmen  from  an  hyve 
Out  of  the  develes  ers  ther  gonne  dryve 
Twenty  thousand  freres  in  a  route, 

And  thurgh-out  helle  swarmeden  aboute, 

And  comen  agayn  as  faste  as  they  may  gon, 
And  in  his  ers  they  crepten  everychon  ;  11,740 
He  clapte  his  tayl  agayn  and  lay  ful  stille. 

This  frere,  whan  he  hadde  looked  al  his  fille 
Upon  the  tormentz  of  this  sory  place, 

His  spirit  God  restored  of  his  grace 
Un-to  his  body  agayn,  and  he  awook  • 

But  natheles,  for  fere  yet  he  quook, 

So  was  the  develes  ers  ay  in  his  mynde  ; 

That  is  his  heritage  of  verray  kynde.1  (7288  T.) 
God  save  yow  alle,  save  this  cursed  Frere  ! 

My  prologe  wol  I  ende  in  this  manere.”  2  11,750 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Somonour  his  Tale. 

Lordynges,  ther  is  in  Yorkshire,  as  I  gesse, 
A  mersshe  contree  called  Holdernesse,  (7292  t.) 
In  which  ther  wente  a  lymytour  aboute 
To  preche,  and  eek  to  begge,  it  is  no  doute. 

1  Nature.  2  The  Summoner’s  story  resembles  one  entitled,  in 
the  version  of  M.  Legrand  d’Aussy,  La  Vescie  du  Curt,  by  Jacques 
de  Baisieux,  intended  as  a  burlesque  upon  the  cupidity  of  the 
friars. 


486  the  summoner’s  tale. 

And  so  bifel  that  on  a  day  this  frere 
Hadde  preched  at  a  chirche  in  his  manere, 

And  specially,  aboven  every  thyng, 

Excited  he  the  peple  in  his  prechyng 
To  trentals,1  and  to  geve  for  Goddes  sake, 
Wher-with  men  myghte  hooly  houses  make, 
Ther  as  2  divine  servyce  is  honoured,  11,761 
Nat  ther  as  it  is  wasted  and  devoured, 

Ne  ther  it  nedeth  nat  for  to  be  geve,  (7303  T.) 
As  to  possessioners  3  that  mowen  lyve, 

Thanked  be  God !  in  wele  and  habundaunce. 
“Trentals,”  seyde  he,  “deliveren  fro  penaunce 
Hir  freendes  soules,  as  wel  olde  as  yonge  ; 

Ye,  whan  that  they  been  hastily  ysonge, 

Nat  for  to  holde  a  preest  joly  and  gay, 

He  syngeth  nat  but  o  masse  in  a  day.  11,770 
Delivereth  out,”  quod  he,  “  anon,  the  soules  ! 
Ful  hard  it  is,  with  flesshhook  or  with  oules  4 
To  been  yclawed,  or  to  brenne,  or  bake  ; 

Now  spede  yow  hastily  for  Cristes  sake.” 

And  whan  this  frere  had  seyd  al  his  entente 
With  qui  cum  pat  ref  forth  his  wey  he  wente. 
Whan  folk  in  chirche  had  geve  him  what 
hem  lest, 

He  went  his  wey,  no  lenger  wolde  he  reste. 
With  scrippe  and  tipped  staf,  ytukked  hye, 

In  every  hous  he  gan  to  poure  and  prye,  11,780 
And  beggeth  mele,  and  chese,  or  elles  corn. 

1  Thirty  masses  recited  for  the  dead.  2  Where.  3  Monks  and 
parish  priests  owning  property.  4  Awls.  5  Who  with  the  Father, 
—  words  still  used  at  the  close  of  sermons. 


“GIF  US  OF  YOURE  BRAWN.”  487 

His  felawe  hadde  a  stafe  tipped  with  horn, 

A  peyre  of  tables 1  al  of  yvory, 

And  a  poyntel 2  polysshed  fetisly,3 
And  wroote  the  names  alwey  as  he  stood 
Of  alle  folk  that  gaf  hym  any  good, 

Asaunces  4  that  he  wolde  for  hem  prey. 

“  Gif  us  6  a  busshel  whete,  malt  or  reye, 

A  Goddes  kechyl,6  or  a  trype  7  of  chese, 

Or  elles  what  yow  lyst,  we  may  nat  cheese  ; 

A  Goddes  halfpeny,8  or  a  masse  peny,  11,791 
Or  gif  us  of  youre  brawn,  if  ye  have  eny ; 

A  dagoun  9  of  youre  blanket,  leeve  dame, 

Oure  suster  deere,  lo  heere  I  write  youre 
name,  — • 

Bacoun,  or  beef,  or  swich  thyng  as  ye  fynde.” 
(A  sturdy  harlot  wente  ay  hem  bihynde, 

That  was  hir  hostes-man,10  and  bar  a  sak, 

And  what  men  gaf  hem  leyde  it  on  his  bak.) 
And  whan  that  he  was  out  at  dore  anon, 

He  planed  awey  the  names  everichon  11,800 
That  he  biforn  had  writen  in  his  tables. 

He  served  hem  with  nyfles  11  and  with  fables. 

“  Nay  !  ther  thou  lixt,  thou  Somonour !  ”  quod 
the  Frere. 

“  Pees  !  ”  quod  oure  Hoost,  “  for  Cristes 
mooder  deere ; 

Tel  forth  thy  tale  and  spare  it  nat  at  al.” 

1  Tablets.  2  Pencil.  3  Neatly.  4  As  if.  6  Elles.  MS.  has 
“  hym.”  6  A  cake  from  God.  7  Morsel.  8  A  ha’penny,  God’s 
gift.  9  Slip.  10  He  was  in  charge  of  guests  at  the  monastery. 

11  Trifles. 


488  THE  summoner's  tale. 

“  So  thryve  I,”  quod  this  Somonour,  “  so  I 
shal  !  ” 

So  longe  he  wente  hous  by  hous  til  he 
Cam  til  an  hous  ther  he  was  wont  to  be 
Refresshed  moore  than  in  an  hundred  placis  ; 
Syk  lay  the  goode  man  whos  the  place  is  ; 
Bedrede  up-on  a  couche  lowe  he  lay.  n,8n 
“  Deus  hie  I”  1  quod  he,  “  O  Thomas,  freend, 
good  day !  ” 

Seyde  this  frere,  curteisly  and  softe. 

“  Thomas,”  quod  he,  “  God  yelde  yow  ! 2  ful 
ofte  (7354  t.) 

Have  I  up  on  this  bench  faren  ful  weel ; 

Heere  have  I  eten  many  a  myrie  meel ;  ” 

And  fro  the  bench  he  droof  awey  the  cat, 

And  leyde  adoun  his  potente  3  and  his  hat, 

And  eek  his  scrippe,  and  sette  hym  softe  adoun. 
His  felawe  was  go  walked  in-to  toun,  11,820 
Forth  with  his  knave  in-to  that  hostelrye 
Where  as  he  shoope 4  hym  thilke  nyght  to  lye. 

“  O  deere  maister,”  quod  this  sike  man, 

“  How  han  ye  fare  sith  that  March  bigan  ? 

I  saugh  yow  noght  this  fourtnyght  or  moore.” 

“  God  woot,”  quod  he,  “  laboured  I  have  ful 
soore, 

And  specially  for  thy  savacioun 
Have  I  seyd  many  a  precious  orisoun ; 

And  for  oure  othere  freendes,  God  hem  blesse  ! 
I  have  to  day  been  at  youre  chirche  at  messe 

1  God  be  here !  2  God  bless  you  for  it !  3  Staff.  4  Plauned. 


GLOSING  IS  GLORIOUS. 


489 


And  seyd  a  sermoun  after  my  symple  wit, 

Nat  al  after  the  text  of  hooly  writ,  11)832 

For  it  is  hard  to  yow,  as  I  suppose, 

And  therfore  wol  I  teche  yow  al  the  glose.1 
Glosynge  is  a  glorious  thyng  certeyn, 

For  lettre  sleeth,  so  as  thise  clerkes  seyn. 
There  have  I  taught  hem  to  be  charitable, 

And  spende  hir  good  ther  it  is  resonable  ; 

And  there  I  saugh  oure  dame,  —  a,  where  is 
she?”  11,839 

“  Yond,  in  the  yerd,  I  trowe  that  she  be,” 
Seyde  this  man,  “  and  she  wol  come  anon.” 

“  Ey,  maister,  wel  com  be  ye,  by  Seint 
John  !  ” 

Seyde  this  wyf  ;  “  how  fare  ye,  hertely  ?  ” 

The  frere  ariseth  up  ful  curteisly 
And  hire  embraceth  in  his  armes  narwe, 

And  kiste  hire  sweete,  and  chirteth 2  as  a 
sparwe 

With  his  lyppes  :  “  Dame,”  quod  he,  “  right 
weel, 

As  he  that  is  youre  servant  every  deel. 
Thanked  be  God,  that  yow  gaf  soule  and  lyf, 
Yet  saugh  I  nat  this  day  so  fair  a  wyf  11,850 
In  al  the  chirche,  God  so  save  me  !  ” 

.  “  Ye,  God  amende  defautes,  sire,”  quod  she, 
“  Algates  wel  come  be  ye,  by  my  fey  !  ” 

“  Graunt  mercy*  dame,  this  have  I  founde 
alwey, 

1  Interpretation.  2  Chirpeth.  3  Many  thanks. 


490 


THE  SUMMONER’S  TALE. 

But  of  youre  grete  goodnesse,  by  youre  leve, 

I  wolde  prey  yow  that  ye  nat  yow  greve, 

I  wole  with  Thomas  speke  a  litel  throwe  ; 1 
Thise  curatz  been  ful  necligent  and  slowe 
To  grope  2  tendrely  a  conscience. 

In  shrift,  in  prechyng  is  my  diligence,  11,860 
And  studie  in  Petres  wordes  and  in  Poules. 

I  walke,  and  fisshe  cristen  mennes  soules, 

To  yelden  Jhesu  Crist  his  propre  rente. 

To  sprede  his  word  is  set  al  myn  entente.” 

“  Now,  by  youre  leve,  O  deere  sire,”  quod 
she,  (7405  t.) 

“  Chideth  him  weel,  for,  seinte  Trinitee  ! 

He  is  as  angry  as  a  pissemyre, 

Though  that  he  have  al  that  he  kan  desire, 
Though  I  him  wrye  3  a-nyght  and  make  hym 
warm,  11,869 

And  on  hym  leye  my  leg,  outlier  myn  arm, 

He  groneth  lyk  oure  boor,  lith  in  oure  sty. 
Oother  desport  ryght  noon  of  hym  have  I, 

I  may  nat  plese  hym  in  no  maner  cas.” 

“  O  Thomas,  je  vous  dyf  Thomas  !  Thomas  ! 
This  maketh 5  the  feend,  this  moste  ben 
amended  ; 

Ire  is  a  thyng  that  hye  God  defended, 

And  ther-of  wol  I  speke  a  word  or  two.” 

“  Now,  maister,”  quod  the  wyf,  “  er  that  I 
g°, 

What,  wol  ye  dyne  ?  I  wol  go  ther-aboute.” 

1  Little  while.  2  Search.  3  Cover.  4  I  tell  you.  5  Doeth. 


“A  MAN  OF  LITEL  SUSTENAUNCE.”  49 1 

“  Now,  dame,”  quod  he,  “  je  vous  dy  satiz 
doute,1  11,880 

Have  I  nat  of  a  capoun  but  the  lyvere, 

And  of  youre  softe  breed  nat  but  a  shyvere, 
And  after  that  a  rosted  pigges  heed,  — 

But  that  I  nolde  no  beest  for  me  were  deed,  — 
Thanne  hadde  I  with  yow  hoomly  suffisaunce, 

I  am  a  man  of  litel  sustenaunce. 

My  spirit  hath  his  fostryng  in  the  Bible, 

The  body  is  ay  so  redy  and  penyble  2 
To  wake,8  that  my  stomak  is  destroyed  ; 

I  prey  yow,  dame,  ye  be  nat  anoyed  11,890 
Though  I  so  freendly  yow  my  conseil  shewe. 

By  God,  I  wolde  nat  telle  it  but  a  fewe  !  ” 

“  Now,  sire,”  quod  she,  “  but  o  word  er  I  go  : 
My  child  is  deed  with-inne  thise  wykes  two, 
Soone  after  that  ye  wente  out  of  this  toun.” 

“  His  deeth  saugh  I  by  revelacioun,” 

Seith  this  frere,  “  at  hoom  in  oure  dortour.4 
I  dar  wel  seyn  that  er  that  half  an  hour 
After  his  deeth,  I  saugh  hym  born  to  blisse 
In  myn  avisioun,  so  God  me  wisse  !  11,900 

So  dide  our  sexteyn  and  oure  fermerer,5 
That  han  been  trewe  freres  fifty  yeer,  — 

They  may  now,  God  be  thanked  of  his  loone  ! 
Maken  hir  jubilee,  and  walke  allone. 

And  up  I  roos,  and  al  oure  covent  eke, 

With  many  a  teare  triklyng  on  my  cheke, 


1  I  tell  you,  !n  faith !  2  Assiduous.  3  Watch.  4  Dormitory. 

5  Director  of  the  infirmary. 


492  THE  SUMMONER’S  TALE. 

Withouten  noyse,  or  claterynge  of  belles, 

Te  deurn  was  oure  song  and  no  thyng  elles  ) 
Save  that  to  Crist  I  seyde  an  orisoun, 
Thankynge  hym  of  his  revelacioun  •  11,910 

For,  sire  and  dame,  trusteth  me  right  weel, 
Oure  orisons  been  wel  moore  effectueel, 

And  moore  we  seen  of  Cristes  secree  thynges, 
Than  burel 1  folk  al  though  they  weren  kynges. 
We  lyve  in  poverte  and  in  abstinence,  (7455  t.) 
And  burell  folk  in  riche&se  and  despence 
Of  mete  and  drynke,  and  in  hir  foul  debt. 

We  han  this  worldes  lust  al  in  despit. 

Lazar  and  Dives  lyveden  diversly  11,919 

And  diverse  gerdoun  2  hadden  they  ther-by. 
Who  so  wol  preye  he  moot  faste  and  be  clene, 
And  fatte  his  soule  and  make  his  body  lene. 
We  fare  as  seith  thapostle  ;  clooth  and  foode 
Suffisen  us,  though  they  be  nat  ful  goode  ; 

The  clennesse  3  and  the  fastynge  of  us  freres 
Maketh  that  Crist  accepteth  oure  preyeres. 

“  Lo,  Moyses  fourty  dayes  and  fourty  nyght 
Fasted,  er  that  the  heighe  God  of  myght 
Spak  with  hym  in  the  mount  of  Synay. 

With  empty  wombe,4  fastynge  many  a  day, 
Receyved  he  the  lawe  that  was  writen  11,931 
With  Goddes  fynger  ;  and  Elye,6  wel  ye  witen, 
In  mount  Oreb,  er  he  hadde  any  speche 
With  hye  God,  that  is  oure  lyves  leche,6 
He  fasted  longe,  and  was  in  contemplaunce. 

1  Lay.  2  Reward.  3  Purity.  4  Stomach.  5  Elijah.  6  Physician. 


“  WE  MENDYNANTZ.”  493 

“  Aaron,  that  hadde  the  temple  in  govern¬ 
ance, 

And  eek  the  1  othere  preestes  everichon, 

In-to  the  temple  whan  they  sholde  gon 
To  preye  for  the  peple,  and  do  servyse, 

They  nolden  drynken  in  no  maner  wyse  11,940 
No  drynke  which  that  myghte  hem  dronke  make ; 
But  there,  in  abstinence  preye  and  wake, 

Lest  that  they  deyden,  —  taak  heede  what  I 
seye,  — 

But  they  be  sobre  that  for  the  peple  preye, 

War 2  that !  —  I  seye  namoore,  —  for  it  suffiseth. 
Oure  Lord  Jhesu,  as  hooly  writ  devyseth, 

Gaf  us  ensample  of  fastynge  and  preyeres  ; 
Therfore  we  mendynantz,3  we  sely  freres, 

Been  wedded  to  poverte  and  continence, 

To  charite,  humblesse,  and  abstinence,  11,950 
To  persecucioun  for  rightwisnesse, 

To  wepynge,  misericorde  4  and  clennesse  ; 

And  therfore  may  ye  se  that  oure  preyeres,  — 

I  speke  of  us,  we  mendynantz,  we  freres,  — 
Been  to  the  hye  God  moore  acceptable 
Than  youres  with  youre  feestes  at  the  table. 
Fro  Paradys  first,  if  I  shal  nat  lye, 

Was  man  out  chaced  for  his  glotonye, 

And  chaast  was  man  in  Paradys  certeyn. 

“  But  herkne,  Thomas,  what  I  shal  the  5  seyn 
I  ne  have  no  text  of  it,  as  I  suppose,  11,961 
But  I  shal  fynde  it  in  a  maner  glose,6 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “that.”  2  Note.  8  Mendicants.  4  Pity.  5  Not 
!n  Elies.  MS.  0  Kind  of  exposition. 


494  THE  summoner’s  tale. 

That  specially  oure  sweete  Lord  Jhesu 
Spak  this  by 1  freres  whan  he  seyde  thus  : 

“  ‘  Blessed  be  they  that  povere  in  spirit 
been,’—  (7S°S T-) 

And  so  forth  al  the  gospel  may  ye  seen 
Wher2  it  be  likker  oure  professioun, 

Or  hirs  that  swymmen  in  possessioun,  — 

Fy  on  hire  pompe  and  hire  glotonye  ! 

And  for  hir  lewednesse,  I  hem  diffye  !  11,970 

“  Me  thynketh  they  been  lyk  Jovinyan,3 
Fat  as  a  whale,  and  walkynge  as  a  swan, 

Al  vinolent  as  botel  in  the  spence.4 
Hir  preyere  is  of  ful  greet  reverence 
Whan  they  for  soules  seye  the  Psalm  of  Davit,  — 
Lo,  but  they  seye,  cor  rneum  eructcivit , 5  — 

Who  folweth  Cristes  gospel,  and  his  foore,6 
But  we  that  humble  been  and  chaast  and 
poore, 

Werkeris  of  Goddes  word,  not  auditours  ? 
Therfore,  right  as  an  hauk  up  at  a  sours  1 1,980 
Up  springeth  in-to  their,7  right  so  prayeres 
Of  charitable  and  chaste,  bisy  freres 
Maken  hir  sours  8  to  Goddes  eres  two. 

Thomas,  Thomas,  so  moote  I  ryde  or  go,  — 
And  by  that  lord  that  clepid  is  Seint  Yve  ! 
Nere9  thou  oure  brother  sholdestou  nat  thryve  ! 
In  our  chapitre  praye  we  day  and  nyght 

1  Of.  2  Whether.  8  A  fabulous  emperor  of  Rome.  4  Store¬ 
room.  5  Ps.  xiv.  i.  There  is  a  pun  in  the  word  crnctavit;  English, 
eructate.  6  Conduct,  walk.  Cf.  1.  10,152.  7  The  air.  8  Ascent. 

9  Wert  thou  not. 


“  O  THOMAS,  DOSTOW  SO  !  ”  495 

To  Crist  that  he  thee  sende  heele  1  and  myght 
Thy  body  for  to  weelden,2  hastily.” 

“  God  woot,”  quod  he,  “  no  thyng  ther-of 
feele  I !  1 1,990 

As  help  me  Crist,  as  in  a  fewe  yeres 
I  han  spent  up-on  diverse  manere  freres 
Ful  many  a  pound,  yet  fare  I  never  the  bet. 
Certeyn  my  good  I  have  almoost  biset,3  — 
Farwel  my  gold,  for  it  is  al  ago  !  ” 

The  frere  answerde,  “  O  Thomas,  dostow  so  ? 
What  nedeth  yow  diverse  freres  seche  ? 

What  nedeth  hym  that  hath  a  parfit  leche 
To  sechen  othere  leches  in  the  toun  ? 

Youre  inconstance  is  youre  confusioun.  12,000 
Holde  ye  thanne  me,  or  elles  oure  covent, 

To  praye  for  yow  been  insufficient? 

Thomas,  that  jape  nys  nat  worth  a  myte ; 
Youre  maladye  is  for  we  han  to  lyte.4 
A  !  gif  that  covent  half  a  quarter  otes  ! 

A  !  gif  that  covent  foure  and  twenty  grotes  ! 

A !  gif  that  frere  a  peny,  and  lat  hym  go ! 

Nay,  nay,  Thomas,  it  may  no  thyng  be  so  ! 
What  is  a  ferthyng  worth  parted  in  twelve  ? 

Lo  ech  thyng  that  is  oned  5  in  it  selve  12,010 
Is  moore  strong  than  whan  it  is  to-scatered. 
Thomas,  of  me  thou  shalt  nat  been  yflatered  ; 
Thou  woldest  han  oure  labour  al  for  noght ; 
The  hye  God,  that  al  this  world  hath  wroght, 
Seith  that  the  werkman  worthy  is  his  hyre. 

1  Health.  2  Use.  8  Spent.  4  Little.  6  United. 


49 6  the  summoner’s  tale. 

Thomas,  noght  of  youre  tresor  I  desire,  (7556  T.) 
As  for  my  self,  but  that  al  oure  covent 
To  preye  for  yow  is  ay  so  diligent, 

And  for  to  buylden  Cristes  owene  chirche. 
Thomas,  if  ye  wol  lernen  for  to  wirche  12,020 
Of  buyldynge  up  of  chirches,  may  ye  fynde 
If  it  be  good  in  Thomas  lyf  of  Inde.1 
Ye  lye  heere  ful  of  anguish  and  2  of  ire, 

With  which  the  devel  set  youre  herte  afyre, 
And  chiden  heere  the  sely  innocent 
Youre  wyf,  that  is  so  meke  and  pacient ; 

And  therfore,  Thomas,  trowe  me  if  thee  leste, 
Ne  stryve  nat  with  thy  wyf,  as  for  thy  beste, 
And  ber  this  word  awey  now,  by  thy  feith, 
Touchynge  this  thyng,  lo  what  the  wise  man  3 
seith :  1 2,030 

‘  With-inne  thyn  hous  ne  be  thou  no  leoun  ; 

To  thy  subgitz  do  noon  oppressioun, 

Ne  make  thyne  aqueyntances  nat  for  to  flee.’ 
And,  Thomas,  yet  eft-soones  I  charge  thee, 

Be  war  from  hire  that  in  thy  bosom  slepeth, 

Be  war  fro  the  serpent  that  so  slily  crepeth 
Under  the  gras  and  styngeth  subtilly ; 

Be  war,  my  sone,  and  herkne  paciently, 

That  twenty  thousand  men  han  lost  hir  lyves 
For  stryvyng  with  hir  lemmans  and  hir  wyves. 
Now  sith  ye  han  so  hooly,  meke  a  wyf,  12,041 
What  nedeth  yow,  Thomas,  to  maken  stryf  ? 


1  The  Apostle,  who  is  said  to  have  builded  churches  in  India. 

2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  anger,”  omitting  “  and.”  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


497 


“AN  irous  potestat.” 

Ther  nys,  ywys,  no  serpent  so  cruel 
Whan  man  tret  on  his  tayl,  ne  half  so  fel 
As  womman  is,  whan  she  hath  caught  an  ire  ; 
Vengeance  is  thanne  al  that  they  desire. 

Ire  is  a  synne,  oon  of  the  grete  of  sevene, 
Abhomynable  un-to  the  God  of  hevene, 

And  to  hym  self  it  is  destruccioun. 

This  every  lewed  viker,  or  persoun,  12,050 
Kan  seye,  how  ire  engendreth  homycide. 

Ire  is  in  sooth  executour  of  pryde. 

I  koude  of  ire  seye  so  muche  sorwe 
My  tale  sholde  laste  til  tomorwe ; 

And  therfore  preye  I  God,  bothe  day  and 
nyght, 

An  irous  man  God  sende  hym  litel  myght. 

It  is  greet  harme  and  eek  greet  pitee 
To  sette  an  irous  man  in  heigh  degree. 

“Whilom  ther  was  an  irous  potestat, 

As  seith  Senek,1  that  durynge  his  estaat  12,060 
Up-on  a  day  out  ryden  knyghtes  two  ; 

And  as  Fortune  wolde  that  it  were  so  (7602  t.) 
That  oon  of  hem  cam  hoom,  that  oother  noght. 
Anon  the  knyght  bifore  the  juge  is  broght, 

That  seyde  thus  :  ‘  Thou  hast  thy  felawe  slayn, 
For  which  I  derne  thee  to  the  deeth  certayn ;  ’ 
And  to  another  knyght  comanded  he, 

‘  Go  lede  hym  to  the  deeth,  I  charge  thee  !  ’ 
And  happed  as  they  wente  by  the  weye, 
Toward  the  place  ther  he  sholde  deye,  12,070 

1  This  story  is  told  of  “  Eraclius  ”  in  the  Gesta  Romatiorum. 
VOL.  I.  32 


498  the  summoner’s  tale. 

The  knyght  cam  which  men  wenden  had  be 
deed. 

Thanne  thoughte  they  it  was  the  beste  reed,1 
To  lede  hem  bothe  to  the  juge  agayn. 

They  seiden,  ‘  Lord,  the  knyght  ne  hath  nat 
slayn 

His  felawe  ;  heere  he  standeth  hool  alyve.’ 

‘  Ye  shul  be  deed,’  quod  he,  ‘  so  moot  I  thryve  ! 
That  is  to  seyn,  bothe  oon,  and  two,  and  thre.’ 
And  to  the  firste  knyght  right  thus  spak  he  : 

‘  I  dampned  thee,  thou  most  algate  be  deed ; 
And  thou,  also,  most  nedes  lese  thyn  heed, 

For  thou  art  cause  why  thy  felawe  deyth;  ’ 

And  to  the  thridde  knyght  right  thus  he  seith  : 
‘  Thou  hast  nat  doon  that  I  comanded  thee ;  ’ 
And  thus  he  dide  doon  sleen  hem  alle  thre. 

“  Irous  Cambises  was  eek  dronkelewe  12,085 
And  ay  delited  hym  to  been  a  shrewe  ; 

And  so  bifel  a  lord  of  his  meynee,2 
That  loved  vertuous  moralitee, 

Seyde  on  a  day  bitwene  hem  two  right  thus  : 

“  ‘  A  lord  is  lost  if  he  be  vicius,  12,090 

And  dronkenesse  is  eek  a  foul  record 
Of  any  man,  and  namely  3  in  a  lord. 

Ther  is  ful  many  an  eye,  and  many  an  ere, 
Awaityng  on  a  lord,  and  he  noot 4  where. 

For  Goddes  love  drynk  moore  attemprely  ! 

Wyn  maketh  man  to  lesen  5  wrecchedly 
His  mynde  and  hise  lymes  everichon.’ 

1  Counsel.  2  Retinue.  3  Especially.  4  Knows  not.  5  Lose. 


499 


“SYNGETH  PLACEBO.” 

“  ‘The  revers  shaltou  se,’  quod  he  anon, 

‘  And  preeve  it  by  thyn  owene  experience, 

That  wyn  ne  dooth  to  folk  no  swich  offence. 
Ther  is  no  wyn  bireveth  me  my  myght  12,101 
Of  hand,  ne  foot,  ne  of  myne  eyen  sight ;  ’ 

And  for  despit  he  drank  ful  muchel  moore 
An  hondred  part  than  he  hadde  doon 1  bifoore  ; 
And  right  anon,  this  irous,  cursed  wrecche 
Leet  this  knyghtes  sone  anon 1  bifore  hym 
fecche, 

Comandynge  hym  he  sholde  bifore  hym  stonde  ; 
And  sodeynly  he  took  his  bowe  in  honde, 

And  up  the  streng  he  pulled  to  his  ere,  12,109 
And  with  an  arwe  he  slow  the  child  right 
there. 

‘  Now,  wheither  have  I  a  siker  hand  or  noon  ?  ’ 
Quod  he  ;  ‘  is  al  my  myght  and  mynde  agon  ? 
Hath  wyn  bireft  me  myne  eyen  sight  ?  ’ 

What  sholde  I  telle  thanswere  of  the  knyght  ? 
His  sone  was  slayn,  ther  is  namoore  to  seye. 
Beth  war,  therfore,  with  lordes  how  ye  pleye. 
Syngeth  Placebo ,2  —  and  I  shal  if  I  lean  ; 

But  if  it  be  un-to  a  povre  man.  (7658 T.) 

To  a  povre  man  men  sholde  hise  vices  telle, 
But  nat  to  a  lord,  thogh  he  sholde  go  to  helle. 

“  Lo,  irous  Cirus,  thilke  Percien,  12,121 
How  he  destroyed  the  ryver  of  Gysen,3 
For  that  an  hors  of  his  was  dreynt  ther-inne, 
Whan  that  he  wente  Babiloigne  to  Wynne. 

1  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  2  Be  complaisant.  Cf.  1.  18,860.  3  Gyndes. 


500  THE  SUMMONER’S  TALE. 

He  made  that  the  ryver  was  so  smal 
That  wommen  myghte  wade  it  over  al. 

Lo,  what  seyde  he  1  that  so  wel  teche  kan : 
‘Ne  be  no  felawe  to  an  irous  man,  12,128 
Ne  with  no  wood  man  walke  by  the  weye, 

Lest  thee  repente,’  —  ther  is  namoore  to  seye. 

“  Now,  Thomas,  leeve  brother,  lef  thyn  ire, 
Thou  shalt  me  fynde  as  just  as  is  a  squyre  ; 
Hoold  nat  the  develes  knyf  ay  at  thyn  herte, 
Thyn  angre  dooth  thee  al  to  soore  smerte,  . 
But  shewe  to  me  al  thy  confessioun.” 

“  Nay,”  quod  the  sike  man,  “  by  Seint  Sy- 
moun  ! 

I  have  be  shryven  this  day  at  my  curat ; 2 
I  have  hym  took!  hoolly  al  myn  estat. 

Nedeth  namoore  to  speken  of  it,  seith  he, 

But  if  me  list,  of  myn  humylitee.”  12,140 

“  Gif  me  thanne  of  thy  gold,  to  make  oure 
cloystre,” 

Quod  he,  “  for  many  a  muscle  and  many  an 
oystre, 

Whan  othere  men  han  ben  ful  wel  at  eyse, 

Hath  been  oure  foode,  our  cloystre  for  to  reyse  ;3 
And  yet,  God  woot,  unnethe  the  fundement 4 
Parfourned  is,  ne  of  our  pavement 
Nys  nat  a  tyl  yet  with-inne  oure  wones,5  — 

By  God,  we  owen  fourty  pound  for  stones ! 

“  Now  help,  Thomas  !  for  hym 6  that  harwed 
helle, 

1  Solomon.  2  Cf.  1.  19,253.  3  They  had  economized  in  food 

1  Scarcely  the  foundation.  6  Dwelling.  0  Jesus. 


“WEL  NY  WOOD  FOR  IRE.”  501 

For  elles  moste  we  oure  bookes  selle  ;  12,150 

And  if  ye  lakke  oure  predicacioun 1 
Thanne  goth  the  world  al  to  destruccioun. 

For  who  so  wolde  us  fro  this  world  bireve, 

So  God  me  save,  Thomas,  by  youre  leve, 

He  wolde  bireve  out  of  this  world  the  sonne  ; 
For  who  kan  teche,  and  werchen,  is  we  konne? 
And  that  is  nat  of  litel  tyme,”  quod  he, 

“  But  syn  that  Elie  2  was,  or  Elise,3 
Han  freres  been,  —  that  fynde  I  of  record, 

In  charitee  ythanked  be  oure  Lord !  12,160 

Now,  Thomas,  helpe  for  seinte 4  charitee  !  ” 
And  doun  anon  he  sette  hym  on  his  knee. 

This  sike  man  wax  wel  ny  wood  for  ire  ; 

He  wolde  that  the  frere  had  been  on  fire 
With  his  false  dissymulacioun.  (7 7°5  T-) 

“  Swich  thyng  as  is  in  my  possessioun,” 
Quod  he,  “  that  may  I  geven,  and  noon  oother. 
Ye  sey  me  thus,  ‘that  I  am  youre  brother  ’  ?  ” 

“  Ye,  certes,”  quod  the  frere,  “  trusteth  weel, 
I  took  oure  dame  oure  lettre  and  oure  seel.” 

“  Now  wel,”  quod  he,  “  and  som  what  shal  I 
geve  12,171 

Un-to  youre  hooly  covent  whil  I  lyve, 

And  in  thyn  hand  thou  shalt  it  have  anon, 

On  this  condicioun,  and  oother  noon  ; 

That  thou  departe  5  it  so,  my  leeve  brother, 
That  every  frere  have  also  muche  as  oother ; 


1  Preaching.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  Ennok.”  3  The  friars  claimed 
Elijah  and  Elisha:  4  Holy.  8  Divide. 


502  THE  SUMMONER’s  TALE. 

This  shaltou  swere  on  thy  professioun, 
With-outen  fraude  or  cavillacioun.” 

“  I  swere  it,”  quod  this  frere,  “  by  my  feith  P’ 
And  ther-with-al  his  hand  in  his  he  leith,  — 
“Lo  heer  my  feith,  in  me  shal  be  no  lak.” 
“Now  thanne  put  in  thyn  hand  doun  by  my 
bak,’?  12,182 

Seyde  this  man,  “  and  grope  wel  bihynde  ; 
Bynethe  my  buttok  ther  shaltow  fynde 
A  thyng  that  I  have  hyd  in  pryvetee.” 

“  A  !  ”  thoghte  this  frere,  “  this  shal  go  with 
me  !  ” 

And  doun  his  hand  he  launcheth  to  the  clifte, 
In  hope  for  to  fynde  there  a  gifte  ; 

And  whan  this  sike  man  felte  this  frere 
Aboute  his  tuwel 1  grope  there  and  heere, 
Amydde  his  hand  he  leet  the  frere  a  fart ; 

Ther  nys  no  capul 2  drawynge  in  a  cart  12,192 
That  myghte  have  lete  a  fart  of  swich  a  soun. 

The  frere  up  stirte,  as  dooth  a  wood  leoun,  — 
“  A  !  fals  cherl,”  quod  he,  “  for  Goddes  bones  ! 
This  hastow  for  despit  doon  for  the  nones ; 
Thou  shalt  abye  3  this  fart,  if  that  I  may  !  ” 

His  meynee,4  whiche  that  herden  this  affray, 
Cam  lepynge  in,  and  chaced  out  the  frere  ; 

And  forth  he  gooth  with  a  ful  angry  cheere, 
And  fette  5  his  felawe,  ther  as  lay  his  stoor. 

He  looked  as  it  were  a  wilde  boor,  —  12,202 

He  grynte  with  his  teeth,  so  was  he  wrooth  ; 

1  Tuel.  2  Horse.  3  Pay  for.  4  Servants.  0  Fetched. 


“an  odious  meschief.”  503 

A  sturdy  paas  doun  to  the  lordes  court  he 
gooth, 

Wher  as  woned  1  a  man  of  greet  honour, 

To  whom  that  he  was  alwey  confessour; 

This  worthy  man  was  lord  of  that  village. 

This  frere  cam  as  he  were  in  a  rage,  12,208 
Where  as  this  lord  sat  etyng  at  his  bord  ; 
Unnethes  2  myghte  the  frere  speke  a  word, 

Til  atte  laste  he  seyde,  “  God  yow  see  !  ” 

This  lord  bigan  to  looke  and  seide,  “  Bene- 
dicitee !  (7752  t.) 

What,  frere  John,  what  maner  world  is  this? 

I  trowe  som  maner  thyng  ther  is  amys  ; 

Ye  looken  as  the  wode  were  ful  of  thevys ; 

Sit  doun  anon,  and  tel  me  what  youre  grief  is, 
And  it  shal  been  amended  if  that  I  may.” 

“  I  have,”  quod  he,  “  had  a  despit  this  day, 
God  yelde  yow  !  adoun  in  youre  village, 

That  in  this  world  is  noon  so  povre  a  page, 
That  he  nolde  have  abhomynacioun  12,221 
Of  that  I  have  receyved  in  youre  toun  ; 

And  yet  ne  greveth  me  no  thyng  so  soore, 

As  that  this  olde  cherl,  with  lokkes  hoore, 
Blasphemed  hath  oure  hooly  covent  eke.” 

“  Now,  maister,”  quod  this  lord,  “  I  yow  bi- 
seke  ”  — 

“No  ‘maister,’  sire,”  3  quod  he,  “but  servi- 
tour, 

Thogh  I  have  had  in  scole  swich  honour, 

1  Dwelt.  2  Scarcely.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


504  THE  SUMMONER’S  TALE. 

God  liketh  nat  that  ‘  Raby  ’  men  us  calle, 
Neither  in  market  ne  in  youre  large  halle.” 
“No  fors,”  quod  he,  “but  tel  me  al  youre 
grief.”  12,231 

“  Sire,”  quod  this  frere,1  “  an  odious  meschief 
This  day  bityd  is  to  myn  ordre  and  me  ; 

And  so  par  conscque?is  in  ech  degree 
Of  hooly  chirche ;  God  amende  it  soone  !  ” 

“  Sire,”  quod  the  lord,  “  ye  woot  what  is  to 
doone ; 

Distempre  yow  noght,  ye  be  my  confessour ; 

Ye  been  the  salt  of  the  erthe  and  the  savour  ; 
For  Goddes  love  youre  pacience  ye  holde  ; 

Tel  me  youre  grief ;  ”  and  he  anon  hym  tolde, 
As  ye  han  herd  biforn,  ye  woot  wel  what. 

The  lady  of  the  hous  al  stille  sat  ,  12,242 

Til  she  had  herde  what  the  frere  sayde ; 

“  Ey  !  Goddes  mooder,”  quod  she,  —  “  blisful 
mayde  ! 

Is  ther  oght  elles  ?  Telle  me  feithfully.” 

“  Madame,”  quod  he,  “  how  thynke  ye  here¬ 
by  ?  ” 

“  How  that  me  thynketh  ?  ”  quod  she  ;  “  so 
God  me  speede  ! 

I  seye,  a  cherle  hath  doon  a  cherles  dede. 
What  shold  I  seye  ?  God  lat  hym  nevere  thee,2 
His  sike  heed  is  ful  of  vanytee  ■  12,250 

I  holde  hym  in  a  manere  frenesye.” 

“  Madame,”  quod  he,“  by  God  I  shal  nat  lye, 

1  “This  frere”  not  in  Elies.  MS.,  which  has  “he.”  2  Thrive. 


“A  SHREWED  C0NCLUS10UN.”  505 

But  I  on  oother  wise  may  be  awreke,1 
I  shal  disclaundre  hym,  over  al  ther  I  speke,  — 
This  false  blasphemour  that  charged  me 
To  parte 2  that  wol  nat  departed  be,  — 

To  every  man  yliche,  with  meschaunce  !  ” 

The  lord  sat  stille,  as  he  were  in  a  traunce, 
And  in  his  herte  he  rolled  up  and  doun  12,259 
“  How  hadde  the  cherl  this  ymaginacioun, 

To  shewe  swich  a  probleme  to  the  frere  ? 
Nevere  erst  er  now  herd  I  of  swich  mateere ; 

I  trowe  the  devel  putte  it  in  his  mynde. 

In  ars-metrike  shal  ther  no  man  fynde, 

Biforn  this  day  of  swich  a  questioun.  (7805  T.) 
Certes,  it  was  a  shrewed  3  conclusioun, 

That  every  man  sholde  have  yliche  his  part, 

As  of  the  soun  or  savour  of  a  fart. 

O  vile  proude  cherl  !  I  shrewe  his  face  ! 

Lo,  sires,”  quod  the  lord,  with  harde  grace, 

“  Who  evere  herd  of  swich  a  thyng  er  now  ? 

*  To  every  man  ylike,’  —  tel  me  how  ?  12,272 

It  is  an  inpossible,  it  may  nat  be. 

Ey,  nyce  cherl  ?  God  lete  thee  nevere  thee  ! 
The  rumblynge  of  a  fart,  and  every  soun, 

Nis  but  of  eir  reverberacioun, 

And  evere  it  wasteth,  litel  and  litel  awey. 

Ther  is  no  man  kan  demen,4  by  my  fey  ! 

If  that  it  were  departed  equally. 

What,  lo,  my  cherl,  lo,  yet  how  shrewedly, 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  but  I  011  him  oother  weyes  be  wreke.”  2  Divide. 
3  Cursed,  malicious.  4  Judge. 


506  the  summoner’s  tale. 

Un-to  my  confessour  to  day  he  spak  ;  12,281 

I  holde  hym  certeyn  a  demonyak. 

Now  ete  youre  mete,  and  lat  the  cherl  go  pleye. 
Lat  hym  go  honge  hymself  a  devel  weye  !  ” 

The  wordes  of  the  lordes  Sqtiier  and  his  kerv- 
ere  for  departynge  of  the  fart  on  twelve. 

Now  stood  the  lordes  Squier  at  the  bord 
That  karf  his  mete,  and  herde  word  by  word 
Of  alle  thynges  whiche  that  I  have  sayd ; 

“  My  lord,”  quod  he,  “  beth  nat  yvele  apayd  ; 1 
I  koude  telle  for  a  gowne-clooth 
To  yow,  sire  frere,  so  ye  be  nat  wrooth,  12,290 
How  that  this  fart  evene  delt  shal  be 
Among  youre  covent,  if  it  lyked  me.” 

“  Tel,”  quod  the  lord,  “  and  thou  shalt  have 
anon 

A  gowne-clooth,  by  God,  and  by  Seint  John  !  ” 
“My  lord,”  quod  he,  “whan  that  the  weder 
is  fair, 

With-outen  wynd,  or  perturbynge  of  air, 

Lat  brynge  a  cartewheel  in-to  this  halle,  — 

But  looke  that  it  have  his  spokes  alle,  — 
Twelve  spokes  hath  a  cartwheel  comunly; 

And  bryng  me  thanne  twelf  freres, — woot  ye 
why?  12,300 

For  thritten  2  is  a  covent,  as  I  gesse  ; 

The  confessour  heere,  for  his  worthynesse, 

1  Dissatisfied.  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  twelve.” 


WORDES  OF  THE  LORDES  SQUIER.  507 

Shal  parfourne  up  1  the  nombre  of  his  covent. 
Thanne  shal  they  knele  doun,  by  oon  assent, 
And  to  every  spokes  ende,  in  this  xnanere, 

Ful  sadly2  leye  his  nose  shal  a  frere. 

Youre  noble  confessour  there,  God  hym  save  ! 
Shal  holde  his  nose  upright  under  the  nave.8 
Thanne  shal  this  cherl,  with  bely  stif,  and  toght 4 
As  any  tabour,  been  hyder  ybroght,  12,310 
And  sette  hym  on  the  wheel  right  of  this  cart, 
Upon  the  nave,  and  make  hym  lete  a  fart, 

And  ye  shul  seen,  up  peril  of  my  lyf, 

By  preeve  which  that  is  demonstrate, 

That  equally  the  soun  of  it  wol  wende,  (7855  t.) 
And  eke  the  stynk,  un-to  the  spokes  ende,  — 
Save  that  this  worthy  man,  youre  confessour, 
By-cause  he  is  a  man  of  greet  honour, 

Shal  have  the  firste  fruyt,  as  resoun  is. 

As  yet  the  noble  usage  of  freres  is  12,320 
The  worthy  men  of  hem  shul  first  be  served,  — 
And  certeinly,  he  hath  it  weel  disserved, 

He  hath  to  day  taught  us  so  muchel  good 
With  prechyng  in  the  pulpit  ther  he  stood, 

That  I  may  vouche-sauf,  I  sey  for  me, 

He  hadcle  the  firste  smel  of  fartes  three, 

And  so  wolde  al  the  covent  hardily, 

He  bereth  hym  so  faire  and  hoolily.” 

The  lord,  the  lady,  and  alle  men  save  the 
frere, 

Seyden  that  Jankyn  spak  in  this  matere  12,330 

1  Complete.  2  Firmly.  3  The  centre  of  the  wheel.  4  Taut. 


508  the  clerk’s  prologue. 

As  wel  as  Euclude,  or  Protholomee, 
Touchynge  this  cherl ;  they  seyden  subtiltee 
And  heigh  wit  made  hym  speken  as  he  spak  ; 
He  nys  no  fool,  ne  no  demonyak  ; 

And  Jankyn  hath  ywonne  a  newe  gowne. 

My  tale  is  doon,  —  we  been  almoost  at  towne. 

Halt  for  Dinner ,  at  SittmgbourJie. 


Heere  folweth  The  Prologe  of  the  Clerkes  Tale  of 
Oxefiford. 

“  Sire  Clerk  of  Oxenford,”  oure  Hooste 
sayde,  (7877  t.) 

“Ye  ryde  as  coy  and  stille  as  dooth  a  mayde 
Were  newe  spoused,  sittynge  at  the  bord ; 

This  day  ne  herde  I  of  youre  tonge  a  word. 

I  trowe  ye  studie  aboute  som  sophyme  ;  12,341 
But  Salomon  seith  ‘  every  thyng  hath  tyme.’ 

“  For  Goddes  sake  !  as  beth  of  bettre  cheere  ! 
It  is  no  tyme  for  to  studien  heere ; 

Telle  us  som  myrie  tale,  by  youre  fey ! 

For  what  man  that  is  entred  in  a  pley, 

He  nedes  moot  unto  the  pley  assente  ; 

But  precheth  nat,  as  freres  doon  in  lente, 

To  make  us  for  oure  olde  synnes  wepe, 

Ne  that  thy, tale  make  us  nat  to  slepe.  12,350 
“  Telle  us  som  murie  thyng  of  aventures,  — 
Youre  termes,  youre  colours,  and  youre  figures, 
Keepe  hem  in  stoor  til  so  be  that  ye  endite 


THE  CLERK’S  PROLOGUE.  5O9 

Heigh  style,  as  whan  that  men  to  kynges  write  ; 
Speketh  so  pleyn  at  this  tyme,  we  yow  preye, 
That  we  may  understonde  what  ye  seye.” 

This  worthy  clerk  benignely  answerde, 

“  Hoost,”  quod  he,  “  I  am  under  youre  yerde,1 
Ye  han  of  us,  as  now,  the  governance, 

And  therfore  wol  I  do  yow  obeisance  12,360 
As  fer  as  resoun  axeth  hardily.2 
I  wol  yow  telle  a  tale  which  that  I 
Lerned  at  Padwe  of  a  worthy  clerk, 

As  preved  by  his  wordes  and  his  werk ; 

He  is  now  deed  and  nayled  in  his  cheste, 

I  prey  to  God  so  geve  his  soule  reste  !  (7906  T.) 

“  Fraunceys  Petrak,  the  lauriat  poete, 

Highte  this  clerk  whos  rethorike  sweete 
Enlumyned  al  Ytaille  of  poetrie, — 

As  Lynyan  3  dide  of  philosophic,  12,370 

Or  lawe,  or  oother  art  particuler,  — 

But  deeth,  that  wol  nat  suffre  us 4  dwellen  heer, 
But  as  it  were  a  twynklyng  of  an  eye, 

Hem  bothe  hath  slayn,  and  alle  shul  we  dye. 
But  forth  to  tellen  of  this  worthy  man 
That  taughte  me  this  tale,  as  I  bigan, 

I  seye  that  first  with  heigh  stile  he  enditeth, 

Er  he  the  body  of  his  tale  writeth, 

A  prohemye,  in  the  which  discryveth  he 
Pemond,5  and  of  Saluces  6  the  contree  ;  12,380 
And  speketh  of  Apennyn,  the  hides  hye 

1  Orders  (literally,  rod).  2  Certainly.  3  John  of  Lignano. 
4  Notin  Elies.  MS.  5  Piedmont.  6  Saluzzo. 


510  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

That  been  the  boundes  of  West  Lumbardye, 
And  of  Mount  Vesulus  1  in  special, 

Where  as  the  Poo  out  of  a  welle  smal 
Taketh  his  firste  spryngyng  and  his  sours, 

That  estward  ay  encresseth  in  his  cours 
To  Emeleward,2  to  Ferrare  and  Venyse, — 

The  which  a  longe  thyng  were  to  devyse, 

And  trewely,  as  to  my  juggement, 

Me  thynketh  it  a  thyng  impertinent,  12,390 
Save  that  he  wole  convoyen  his  mateere  ;3 
But  this  his  tale  4  which  that  ye  may  heere.” 


Heere  bigynneth  The  Tale  of  the  Clerk  of  Oxen - 

ford. 

FIRST  PART. 

Ther  is,  at  the  West  syde  of  Ytaille, 

Doun  at  the  roote  of  Vesulus  the  colde, 

A  lusty  play  tie,  habundant  of  vitaille, 

Where  many  a  tour  and  toun  thou  mayst  bi- 
holde 

That  founded  were  in  tyme  of  fadres  olde, 

And  many  another  delitable  sighte, 

And  Saluces  this  noble  contree  highte. 

1  Monte  Viso ;  Virgil's  “pine-clad  Vesulus.”  (Alneid,  x.  708.) 
2  Towards  the  Afmilian  road  in  Northern  Italy.  3  Give  the  infor¬ 
mation.  4  The  story  was  an  old  one,  that  Boccaccio  had  inserted 
in  the  Decamerone ,  as  a  happy  conclusion  of  the  series.  Petrarch 
learned  it  by  heart  to  repeat  it  to  his  friends,  and  he  may  have  told 
it  to  Chaucer.  In  1373,  he  made  a  Latin  version  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  did  not  read  Italian,  and  this  is  the  one  that  Chaucer  fol¬ 
lowed. 


YOUNG  LORD  WALTER.  5  I  I 

A  markys  whilom  lord  was  of  that  lond,  12,400 
As  were  hise  worthy  eldres  hym  bifore, 

And  obeisant  and  redy  to  his  hond 
Were  alle  hise  liges,  bothe  lasse  and  moore. 
Thus  in  delit  he  lyveth,  and  hath  doon  yoore, 
Biloved  and  drad,  thurgh  favour  of  Fortune, 
Bothe  of  hise  lordes  and  of  his  commune.1 
Therwith  he  was,  to  speke  as  of  lynage, 

The  gentilleste  yborn  of  Lumbardye  ; 

A  faire  persone,  and  strong,  and  yong  of  age, 
And  ful  of  honour  and  of  curteisye  ;  12,410 

Discreet  ynogh  his  contree  for  to  gye,2  — 

Save  in  somme  thynges  that  he  was  to  blame,  — 
And  Walter  was  this  yonge  lordes  name. 

I  blame  him  thus,  that  he  considereth  noght 
In  tyme  comynge  what  hym  myghte  bityde  ; 
But  in  his  lust  present  was  al  his  thoght, 

As  for  to  hauke  and  hunte  on  every  syde, 

Wei  ny  alle  othere  cures  leet  he  slyde ; 3 
And  eek  he  nolde,  and  that  was  worst  of  alle, 
Wedde  no  wyf  for  noght  that  may  bifalle.  12,420 
Oonly  that  point  his  peple  barsosoore  (7961  t.) 
That  flokmeele  4  on  a  day  they  to  hym  wente, 
And  oon  of  hem  that  wisest  was  of  loore,  — 

Or  elles  that  the  lord  best  wolde  assente 
That  he  sholde  telle  hym  what  his  peple  mente, 
Or  elles  koude  he  showe  wel  swich  mateere,  — 
He  to  the  markys  seyde  as  ye  shul  heere : 


1  Commons.  2  Guide.  3  An  “  Americanism.”  4  Together,  the 
opposite  of  piecemeal. 


512 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


“  O  noble  markys,  youre  humanitee 
Asseureth  us  and  geveth  us  1  hardinesse 
As  ofte  as  tyme  is  of  necessitee  12,430 

That  we  to  yow  mowe  telle  oure  hevynesse. 
Accepteth,  lord,  now  for  youre  gentillesse, 

That  we  with  pitous  herte  un-to  yow  pleyne, 
And  lat  youre  eres  nat  my  voys  desdeyne, 

A1 2  have  I  noght  to  doone  in  this  mateere 
Moore  than  another  man  hath  in  this  place, 

Yet  for  as  muche  as  ye,  my  lord  so  deere, 

Han  alwey  shewed  me  favour  and  grace, 

I  dar  the  bettre  aske  of  yow  a  space 

Of  audience,  to  shewen  oure  requeste,  12,440 

And  ye,  my  lord,  to  doon  right  as  yow  leste  ; 

For  certes,  lord,  so  wel  us  liketh  yow 

And  al  youre  werk,  and  evere  han  doon,  that  we 

Ne  koude  nat  us-self  devysen  how 

We  myghte  lyven  in  moore  felicitee, 

Save  o  thyng,  lord,  if  it  youre  wille  be, 

That  for  to  been  a  wedded  man  yow  leste, 
Thanne  were  youre  peple  in  sovereyn  hertes 
reste. 

Boweth  youre  nekke  under  that  blisful  yok 
Of  soveraynetee,  noght  of  servyse,  1 2,450 

Which  that  men  clepeth  spousaille  or  wedlok, 
And  thenketh,  lord,  among  youre  thoghtes  wyse, 
How  that  oure  dayes  passe  in  sondry  wyse, 

For  thogh  we  slepe,  or  wake,  or  rome,  or  ryde, 
Ay  fleeth  the  tyme,  it  nyl  no  man  abyde  ; 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  to  geve  us.”  2  Although. 


“taak  a  wyf.”  513 

And  thogh  youre  grene  youthe  floure  as  yit, 

In  crepeth  age  alwey,  as  stille  as  stoon, 

And  Deeth  manaceth  every  age  and  smyt 
In  ech  estaat,  for  ther  escapeth  noon  ; 

And  al  so  certein  as  we  knowe  echoon  12,460 
That  we  shul  deye,  as  uncerteyn  we  alle 
Been  of  that  day  whan  deeth  shal  on  us  falle. 

“  Accepteth  thanne  of  us  the  trewe  entente 
That  nevere  yet  refuseden  thyn  heeste,1 
And  we  wol,  lord,  if  that  ye  wole  assente, 

Chese  yow  a  wyf  in  a  short  tyme  atte  leeste, 
Born  of  the  gentilleste  and  of  the  meeste 2 
Of  al  this  land,  so  that  it  oghte  seme  (8008  T.) 
Honour  to  God  and  yow,  as  we  kan  deeme. 
Delivere  us  out  of  al  this  bisy  drede,  12,470 
And  taak  a  wyf,  for  hye  Goddes  sake, 

For  if  it  so  bifelle,  as  God  forbede  ! 

That  thurgh  youre  deeth  youre  lyne  sholde 
slake, 

And  that  a  straunge  successour  sholde  take 
Youre  heritage,  O,  wo,  were  us  alyve  ! 

Wherfore  we  pray  you  hastily  to  wyve.” 

Hir  meeke  preyere,  and  hir  pitous  cheere, 
Made  the  markys  herte  han  pitee. 

“Ye  wol,”  quod  he,  “  myn  owene  peple  deere, 
To  that  I  nevere  erst  thoughte  streyne 3  mfc. 

I  me  rejoysed  of  my  libertee,  12,481 

That  seelde  tyme  is  founde  in  manage  ; 

Ther  I  was  free,  I  moot  been  in  servage  ; 

1  Bidding.  2  Most,  i.  e.,  highest.  3  Constrain, 

vol.  i.  33 


5  H  THE  clerk’s  tale. 

But  nathelees,  I  se  youre  trewe  entente, 

And  trust  upon  youre  wit,  and  have  doon  ay  ; 
Wherfore,  of  my  free  wyl,  I  wole  assente 
To  wedde  me  as  soone  as  evere  I  may. 

But  ther  as  ye  han  profred  me  this  day 
To  chese  me  a  wyf,  I  yow  relesse  12,489 

That  choys,  and  prey  you  of  that  profre  cesse, 
For,  God  it  woot,  that  children  ofte  been 
Unlyk  hir  worthy  eldres  hem  bifore  ; 

Bountee  1  comth  al  of  God,  nat  of  the  streen  2 
Of  which  they  been  engendred  and  ybore. 

I  truste  in  Goddes  bontee,1  and  therfore 
My  mariage,  and  myn  estaat  and  reste, 

I  hym  bitake,8  —  he  may  doon  as  hym  leste. 
Lat  me  allone  in  chesynge  of  my  wyf. 

That  charge  up-on  my  bak  I  wole  endure ; 

But  I  yow  preye,  and  charge  up-on  youre  lyf, 
That4  what  wyf  that  I  take,  ye  me  assure  12,501 
To  worshipe  hire,  whil  that  hir  lyf  may  dure, 

In  word  and  werk,  bothe  heere  and  every- 
wheere, 

As  she  an  emperoures  doghter  weere ; 

And  forthermoore,  this  shal  ye  swere,  that  ye 
Agayn  my  choys  shul  neither  grucche  ne  stryve  ; 
For  sith  I  shal  forgoon  my  libertee  (8047  t.) 
At  youre  requeste,  as  evere  moot  I  thryve  ! 
Ther  as  myn  herte  is  set,  ther  wol  I  wyve  ; 
And,  but  ye  wole  assente  in  this  manere,  12,510 
I  prey  yow  speketh  namoore  of  this  matere.” 

1  Goodness.  2  Strain,  stock.  3  Commit.  4  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


“  A  THROOP,  OF  SITE  DELITABLE.”  5  I  5 

With  hertely  wyl  they  sworen  and  assenten  ; 
To  al  this  thyng,  ther  seyde  no  wight  nay  ; 
Bisekynge  hym  of  grace,  er  that  they  wenten, 
That  he  wolde  graunten  hem  a  certein  day 
Of  his  spousaille,  as  soone  as  evere  he  may  ; 
For  yet  alwey  the  peple  som  what  dredde 
Lest  that  this  markys  no  wyf  wolde  wedde. 

He  graunted  hem  a  day,  swich  as  hym  leste, 
On  which  he  wolde  be  wedded  sikerly,  12,520 
And  seyde  he  dide  al  this  at  hir  requeste  ; 

And  they,  with  humble  entente,  buxomly,1 
Knelynge  up-on  hir  knees  ful  reverently, 

Hym  thonken  alle ;  and  thus  they  han  an  ende 
Of  hire  entente,  and  hoom  agayn  they  wende. 

And  heer  up-on  he  to  hise  officeres 
Comaundeth  for  the  feste  to  purveye  ; 

And  to  hise  privee  knyghtes  and  squieres 
Swich  charge  gaf  as  hym  liste  on  hem  leye ; 
And  they  to  his  comandement  obeye,  12,530 
And  ech  of  hem  dooth  al  his  diligence 
To  doon  un-to  the  feeste  reverence. 

SECOND  PART. 

Noght  fer  fro  thilke  paleys  honurable 
Ther  as  this  markys  shoope  his  mariage, 

There  stood  a  throop,2  of  site  delitable, 

In  which  that  povre  folk  of  that  village 
Hadden  hir  beestes  and  hir  herbergage,3 

1  Bowingly,  obediently.  2  Thorpe,  hamlet.  8  Lodging. 


5  16  the  clerk’s  tale. 

And  of  hire  labour  tooke  hir  sustenance, 

After  that  the  erthe  gaf  hem  habundance. 
Amonges  thise  povre  folk  ther  dwelte  a  man 
Which  that  was  holden  povrest  of  hem  alle,  — 
But  hye  God  som  tyme  senden  kan  12,542 
His  grace  in-to  a  litel  oxes  stalle ; 

Janicula,  men  of  that  throope  hym  calle  ; 

A  doghter  hadde  he  fair  ynogh  to  sighte, 

And  Grisildis  this  yonge  mayden  highte. 

But  for  to  speke  of  vertuous  beautee  1 
Thanne  was  she  oon  the  faireste  under  sonne, 
For  povreliche  yfostred  up  was  she  ; 

No  likerous  lust  was  thurgh  hire  herte  yronne, 
Wei  of  ter  of  the  welle  than  of  the  tonne  12,551 
She  drank,  and  for  she  wolde  vertu  plese 
She  knew  wel  labour,  but  noon  ydel  ese. 

But  thogh  this  mayde  tendre  were  of  age, 

Yet  in  the  brest  of  hire  virginitee 
Ther  was  enclosed  rype  and  sad  2  corage, 

And  in  greet  reverence  and  charitee 
Hir  olde,  povre  fader  fostred  shee  ; 

A  fewe  sheepe,  spynnynge,  on  feeld  she  kepte, 
She  wolde  noght  been  ydel  til  she  slepte.  12,560 
And  whan  she  horn  ward  cam  she  wolde  brynge 
Wortes,  or  othere  herbes,  tymes  ofte, 

The  whiche  she  shredde  and  seeth  for  hir  lyv- 
ynge, 

And  made  hir  bed  ful  harde  and  no  thyng 
softe  ;  (8x04  T.) 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  bountee.”  2  Established,  firm. 


“the  day  of  weddyng  cam.”  517 

And  ay  she  kepte  hir  fadres  lyf  on-lofte1 
With  everich  obeisaunce  and  diligence 
That  child  may  doon  to  fadres  reverence. 
Up-on  Grisilde,  this  povre  creature, 

Ful  ofte  sithe  this  markys  caste  his  eye 
As  he  on  huntyng  rood paraventure  ;  12,57 o 

And  whan  it  fil  that  he  myghte  hire  espye 
He  noght  with  wantowne  lookyng  of  folye 
Hise  eyen  caste  on  hire,  but  in  sad  2  wyse 
Up-on  hir  chiere 3  he  gan  hym  ofte  avyse, 
Commendynge  in  his  herte  hir  wommanhede, 
And  eek  hir  vertu,  passynge  any  wight 
Of  so  yong  age,  as  wel  in  chiere  as  dede  ; 

For  thogh  the  peple  hadde  no  greet  insight 
In  vertu,  he  considered  ful  right  12,579 

Hir  bountee,  and  disposed  that  he  wolde 
Wedde  hire  oonly,  if  evere  he  wedde  sholde. 

The  day  of  weddyng  cam,  but  no  wight  kan 
Telle  what  womman  that  it  sholde  be  ; 

For  which  merveille  wondrecl  many  a  man, 

And  seyden,  whan  they  were  in  privetee, 

“  Wol  nat  oure  lord  yet  leve  his  vanytee  ? 

Wol  he  nat  wedde  ?  alias  !  alias  !  the  while  ! 
Why  wole  he  thus  hym-self  and  us  bigile  ?  ” 
But  nathelees  this  markys  hath  doon  make, 
Of  gemmes  set  in  gold  and  in  asure,  12,590 
Brooches  and  rynges,  for  Grisildis  sake  ; 

And  of  hir  clothyng  took  he  the  rnesure 
By  a  mayde  lyke  to  hire  stature, 

1  Supported  her  father’s  life.  2  Grave.  3  Appearance. 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


518 

And  eek  of  othere  ornementes  alle 
That  un-to  swich  a  weddyng  sholde  falle. 

The  time  of  undren  of  the  same  day 
Approcheth,  that  this  weddyng  sholde  be, 

And  al  the  paleys  put  was  in  array, 

Bothe  halle  and  chambres,  ech  in  his  degree ; 
Houses  of  office  stuffed  with  plentee,  12,600 
Ther  may  stow  seen  of  deynteuous  vitaille 
That  may  be  founde  as  fer  as  last  Ytaille. 

This  roial  markys  richely  arrayed, 

Lordes  and  ladyes  in  his  compaignye, 

The  whiche  that  to  the  feeste  weren  yprayed, 
And  of  his  retenue  the  bachelrye,1 
With  many  a  soun  of  sondry  melodye, 

Un-to  the  village  of  the  which  I  tolde, 

In  this  array  the  righte  wey  han  holde. 

Grisilde  of  this,  God  woot,  ful  innocent 
That  for  hire  shapen  was  al  this  array,  12,611 
To  fecchen  water  at  a  welle  is  went,  (8152  t.) 
And  comth  hoom  as  soone  as  ever  she  may ; 
For  wel  she  hadde  herd  seyd  that  thilke  day 
The  markys  sholde  weclde,  and  if  she  myghte 
She  wolde  fayn  han  seyn  2  som  of  that  sighte. 
She  thoghte,  “  I  wole  with  othere  maydens 
stonde, 

That  been  my  felawes,  in  oure  dore  and  se 
The  markysesse,  and  therfore  wol  I  fonde  8 
To  doon  at  hoom  as  soone  as  it  may  be  12,620 
The  labour  which  that  longeth  un-to  me  ; 

1  Young  knights.  2  Seen.  3  Try. 


« 


“THY  DOGHTER  WOL  I  TAKE.”  5  19 

And  thanne  I  may  at  leyser  hire  biholde 
If  she  this  wey  un-to  the  castel  holde.” 

And  as  she  wolde  over  hir  thresshfold  gon 
The  markys  cam,  and  gan  hire  for  to  calle ; 
And  she  set  doun  hir  water  pot  anon 
Biside  the  thresshfold  in  an  oxes  stalle, 

And  doun  up-on  hir  knes  she  gan  to  falle, 

And  with  sad  contenance  kneleth  stille 
Til  she  had  herd  what  was  the  lordes  will. 

This  thoghtful  markys  spak  un-to  this  mayde 
Ful  sobrely,  and  seyde  in  this  man  ere  :  12,632 
“  Where  is  youre  fader,  O  Grisildis  ?  ”  he  sayde ; 
And  she  with  reverence,  in  humble  cheere, 
Answerde,  “  Lord,  he  is  al  redy  heere  ;  ” 

And  in  she  gooth  with-outen  lenger  lette, 

And  to  the  markys  she  hir  fader  fette. 

He  by  the  hand  thanne  took  this  olde  man, 
And  seyde  thus,  whan  he  hym  hackle  asyde, 

“  Janicula,  I  neither  may  be  kan  12,640 

Lenger  the  plesance  of  myn  herte  hyde. 

If  that  thou  vouche-sauf  what-so  bityde, 

Thy  doghter  wol  I  take  er  that  I  wende 
As  for  my  wyf  un-to  hir  lyves  encle. 

Thou  lovest  me,  I  woot  it  wel  certeyn, 

And  art  my  feithful  lige  man  ybore, 

And  all  that  liketh  me,  I  dar  wel  seyn, 

It  liketh  thee,  and  specially  therfore, 

Tel  me  that  poynt  that  I  have  seyd  bifore, 

If  that  thou  wolt  un-to  that  purpos  drawe, 

To  take  me  as  for  thy  sone  in  lawe.”  12,651 


520 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


This  sodeyn  cas  1  this  man  astonyed  so 
That  reed  he  wax  abayst,  and  al  quakyng 
He  stood  ;  unnethes  2  seyde  he  wordes  mo, 

But  oonly  thus  :  “  Lord,”  quod  he,  “  my  willynge 
Is  as  ye  wole,  ne  ageyns  youre  likynge 
I  wol  no  thyng,  ye  be  my  lord  so  deere  ; 

Right  as  yow  lust  governeth  this  mateere.” 

“  Yet  wol  I,”  quod  this  markys  softely, 

“  That  in  thy  chambre,  I,  and  thou,  and  she, 
Have  a  collacioun,3  and  wostow  why  ?  12,661 

For  I  wol  axe  if  it  hire  wille  be  (8202  T.) 

To  be  my  wyf,  and  reule  hire  after  me  ; 

And  al  this  shal  be  doon  in  thy  presence, 

I  wol  noght  speke  out  of  thyn  audience.” 

And  in  the  chambre  whil  they  were  aboute 
Hir  tretys,  which  as  ye  shal  after  heere, 

The  peple  cam  un-to  the  hous  with-oute, 

And  wondred  hem  in  how  honeste  manere, 

And  tentifly,4 she  kepte  hir  fader  deere;  12,670 
But  outrely  5  Grisildis  wondre  myghte, 

For  nevere  erst  ne  saugh  she  swich  a  sighte. 
No  wonder  is  thogh  that6  she  were  astoned 
To  seen  so  greet  a  gest  come  in  that  place  ; 
She  nevere  was  to  swiche  gestes  woned,7 
For  which  she  looked  with  ful  pale  face. 

But,  shortly  forth  this  tale  for  to  chace, 

Thise  arn  the  wordes  that  the  markys  sayde 
To  this  benigne,  verray,8  feithful  mayde  : 

1  Hap.  2  Scarcely.  3  Conference.  4  Attentively.  5  Utterly 
8  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  7  Accustomed.  8  True. 


521 


“THIS  is  my  wyf.” 

“Grisilde,”  he  seyde,  “ye  shal  wel  under- 
stonde  12,680 

It  liketh  to  youre  fader  and  to  me 
That  I  yow  wedde  ;  and  eek  it  may  so  stonde, 
As  I  suppose  ye  wol  that  it  so  be ; 

But  thise  demandes  axe  I  first,”  quod  he, 

“  That  sith  it  shal  be  doon  in  hastif  wyse, 

Wol  ye  assente  or  elles  yow  avyse  ? 

I  seye  this,  be  ye  redy  with  good  herte 
To  al  my  lust,  and  that  I  frely  may  12,688 
As  me  best  thynketh  do  yow  laughe  or  smerte, 
And  nevere  ye  to  grucche  it  nyght  ne  day  ? 
And  eek  whan  I  sey  ‘  ye  ’  ne  sey  nat  ‘  nay,’ 
Neither  by  word,  ne  frownyng  contenance  ? 
Swere  this,  and  heere  I  swere  yow  alliance.” 
Wondrynge  up-on  this  word,  quakynge  for 
drede, 

She  seyde,  “  Lord,  undigne  and  unworthy 
Am  I  to  thilke  honour  that  ye  me  beede  ; 

But  as  ye  wole  youre  self,  right  so  wol  I, 

And  heere  I  swere  that  nevere  willyngly 
In  werk,  ne  thoght,  I  nyl  yow  disobeye,  12,699 
For  to  be  deed,  though  me  were  looth  to  deye !  ” 
“  This  is  ynogh,  Grisilde  rnyn,”  quod  he, 
And  forth  he  gooth  with  a  ful  sobre  cheere 
Out  at  the  dore,  and  after  that  cam  she, 

And  to  the  peple  he  seyde  in  this  manere  : 

“  This  is  my  wyf,”  quod  he,  “  that  standeth 
heere  ; 

Honoureth  hire,  and  loveth  hire,  I  preye, 
Who-so  me  loveth  ;  ther  is  namoore  to  seye.” 


522 


THE  CLERK  S  TALE. 


And  for  that  no  thyng  of  hir  olde  geere 
She  sholde  brynge  in  to  his  hous,  he  bad 
That  wommen  sholde  dispoillen  hire  right 
theere ;  12,710 

Of  which  thise  ladyes  were  nat  right  glad 
To  handle  hir  clothes  wher-inne  she  was  clad; 
But  nathelees  this  mayde,  bright  of  hewe, 

Fro  foot  to  heed  they  clothed  han  al  newe. 

Hir  heris  han  they  kembd,  that  lay  untressed 
Ful  rudely,  and  with  hirfyngres  smale  (8256  T.) 
A  corone  on  hire  heed  they  han  ydressed, 

And  sette  hire  ful  of  nowches 1  grete  and  smale. 
Of  hire  array  what  sholde  I  make  a  tale  ?  12,719 
Unnethe 2  the  peple  hire  knew  for  hire  fairnesse, 
Whan  she  translated  was  in  swich  richesse. 

This  markys  hath  hire  spoused  with  a  ryng, 
Broght  for  the  same  cause,  and  thanne  hire  sette 
Up-on  an  hors  snow-whit  and  wel  amblyng, 
And  to  his  paleys  er  he  lenger  lette 
With  joyful  peple  that  hire  ladde  and  mette, 
Convoyed  hire,  and  thus  the  day  they  spende 
In  revel  til  the  sonne  gan  descende  ; 

And,  shortly  forth  this  tale  for  to  chace, 

I  seye  that  to  this  newe  markysesse  12,730 
God  hath  swich  favour  sent  hire  of  his  grace, 
That  it  ne  seined  nat  by  liklynesse 
That  she  was  born  and  fed  in  rudenesse, 

As  in  a  cote,  or  in  an  oxe  stalle, 

But  norissed  in  an  emperoures  halle. 

To  every  wight  she  woxen  is  so  deere 


1  Jewels.  -  Scarcely. 


“hire  heighe  bountee.”  523 

And  worshipful,  that  folk  ther  she  was  bore, 
And  from  hire  birthe  knewe  hire  yeer  by  yeere, 
Unnethe  trowed  they,  but  dorste  han  swore 
That1  to  Janicle  of  which  I  spak  bifore  12,740 
She  doghter  nere,2  for  as  by  conjecture, 

Hem  thoughte  she  was  another  creature  ; 

For  though  that  evere  vertuous  was  she, 

She  was  encressed  in  swich  excellence 
Of  thewes  3  goode  yset  in  heigh  bountee, 

And  so  discreet  and  fair  of  eloquence, 

So  benigne,  and  so  digne  of  reverence, 

And  koude  so  the  peples  herte  embrace, 

That  ech  hire  lovede  that  looked  on  hir  face. 

Noght  oonly  of  Saluces  in  the  toun  12,750 
Publiced  was  the  bountee  4  of  hir  name. 

But  eek  biside  in  many  a  regioun, 

If  oon  seicle  wel,  another  seyde  the  same. 

So  spradde  of  hire  heighe  bountee  the  name 
That  men  and  wommen,  as  wel  yonge  as  olde, 
Goon  to  Saluce  upon  hire  to  bihold. 

Thus  Walter  lowely  —  nay,  but  roially  — 7 
Wedded  with  fortunat  honestetee, 

In  Goddes  pees  lyveth  ful  esily  12,759 

At  hoom,  and  outward  6  grace  ynogh  had  he  ; 
And  for  he  saugh  that  under  lowe  6  degree 
Was  ofte  vertu  hid,  the  peple  hym  heelde 
A  prudent  man,  and  that  is  seyn  ful  seelde. 

Nat  oonly  this  Grisildis  thurgh  hir  wit 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  that  she.”  2  Ne  were.  3  Traits.  4  Goodness. 
Elies.  MS.  has  “ beautee.”  5  Abroad.  6  Elies.  MS.  has  “heigh.” 


524 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


Koude  al  the  feet 1  of  wyfly  homlynesse,2 
But  eek  whan  that  the  cas  required  it  (8306  T.) 
The  commune  profit  koude  she  redresse  ; 

Ther  nas  discord,  rancour,  ne  hevynesse, 

In  al  that  land,  that  she  ne  koude  apese, 

And  wisely  brynge  hem  alle  in  reste  and  ese. 
Though  that  hire  housbonde- absent  were,  anon 
If  gentil  men  or  othere  of  hire  contree  12,772 
Were  wrothe,  she  wolde  bryngen  hem  aton  ; 3 
So  wise  and  rype  wordes  hadde  she, 

And  juggementz  of  so  greet  equitee, 

That  she  from  hevene  sent  was,  as  men  wende, 
Peple  to  save  and  every  wrong  tamende. 

Nat  longe  tyrne  after  that  this  Grisild 
Was  wedded,  she  a  doghter  hath  ybore, 

Al  had  hire  levere  have  born  a  knave  4  child. 
Glad  was  this  markys  and  the  folk  therfore, 
For  though  a  mayde  child  coome  al  bifore, 

She  may  un-to  a  knave  4  child  atteyne,  12,783 
By  liklihede,  syn  she  nys  nat  bareyne. 

THIRD  PART. 

Ther  fil,  as  it  bifalleth  tymes  mo, 

Whan  that  this  child  had  souked  but  a  throwe,6 
This  markys  in  his  herte  longeth  so 
To  tempte  his  wyf  hir  sadnesse  6  for  to  knowe, 
That  he  ne  myghte  out  of  his  herte  throwe 

1  Feat  (performance).  2  Elies.  MS.  has  “  humblenesse.”  8  At 
one.  4  Elies.  MS.  has  “man.”  6  Short  time.  0  Firmness. 


525 


“  YVELE  IT  SIT.” 

This  merveillous  desir  his  wyf  tassaye  ;  12,790 
Nedelees,  God  woot,  he  thoghte  hire  for  taf- 
fraye. 

He  hadde  assayed  hire  ynogh  bifore, 

And  foond  hire  evere  good,  — what  neded  it 
Hire  for  to  tempte,  and  alwey  moore  and 
moo  re  ? 

Though  som  men  preise  it  for  a  subtil  wit, 

But  as  for  me,  I  seye  that  yvele  it  sit 
To  assaye  a  wyf  whan  that  it  is  no  nede, 

And  putten  hire  in  angwyssh  and  in  drede. 

For  which  this  markys  wroghte  in  this  manere  ; 
He  cam  allone  a  nyght  ther  as  she  lay  12,800 
With  stierne  face  and  with  ful  trouble  cheere, 
And  seyde  thus  :  “  Grisilde,”  quod  he,  “  that 
day 

That  I  yow  took  out  of  youre  povere  array 
And  putte  yow  in  estaat  of  heigh  noblesse,  — 
Ye  have  nat  that  forgeten,  as  I  gesse? 

I  seye,  Grisilde,  this  present  dignitee 
In  which  that  I  have  put  yow,  as  I  trowe, 
Maketh  yow  nat  forgetful  for  to  be  12,808 
That  I  yow  took  in  povre  estaat  ful  lowe, 

For  any  wele  ye  moot  youre  selven  knowe  ; 
Taak  heede  of  every  wrord  that  I  yow  seye, 
Ther  is  no  wight  that  hereth  it  but  we  tweye. 
Ye  woot  youre  self  wel  how  that  ye  cam  heere 
In  to  this  hous,  it  is  nat  longe  ago,  (8354  t.) 
And  though  to  me  that  ye  be  lief  and  deere, 
Un-to  my  gentils  ye  be  no  thyng  so  ; 


526  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

They  seyn,  to  hem  it  is  greet  shame  and  wo 
For  to  be  subgetz,  and  been  in  servage, 

To  thee,  that  born  art  of  a  smal  village ; 

And  namely 1  sith  thy  doghter  was  ybore, 

Thise  wordes  han  they  spoken,  doutelees ; 

But  I  desire,  as  I  have  doon  bifore,  12,822 
To  lyve  my  lyf  with  hem  in  reste  and  pees  ; 

I  may  nat  in  this  caas  be  recchelees, 

I  moot  doon  with  thy  doghter  for  the  beste, 
Nat  as  I  wolde,  but  as  my  peple  leste  ; 

And  yet,  God  woot,  this  is  ful  looth  to  me  ; 

But  nathelees,  with  oute  youre  wityng 
I  wol  nat  doon,  but  this  wol  I,”  quod  he, 

“  That  ye  to  me  assente,  as  in  this  thyng.  12,830 
Shewe  now  youre  pacience  in  youre  werkyng, 
That  ye  me  highte  and  swore  in  youre  village, 
That  day  that  maked  was  oure  manage.” 

Whan  she  had  herd  al  this  she  noght  ameved,2 
Neither  in  word,  or  chiere,  or  countenaunce, 
For  as  it  semed  she  was  nat  agreved. 

She  seyde,  “  Lord,  al  lyth  in  youre  plesaunce  ; 
My  child  and  I,  with  hertely  obeisaunce, 

Been  youres  al,  and  ye  mowe  save  or  spille  3 
Youre  owene  thyng;  werketh  after  youre  wille. 
Ther  may  no  thyng,  God  so  my  soule  save  ! 
Liken  4  to  yow  that  may  displese  me  ;  12,842 

Ne  I  ne  desire  no  thyng  for  to  have, 

Ne  drede  for  to  leese  save  oonly  yee  ; 

This  wyl  is  in  myn  herte,  and  ay  shal  be. 

1  Especially.  2  Changed  not.  3  Destroy.  4  Please. 


“thynges  badde.”  527 

No  lengthe  of  tyme,  or  deeth,  may  this  deface, 
Ne  chaunge  my  corage  1  to  another  place.” 

Glad  was  this  markys  of  hire  answeryng, 

But  yet  he  feyned  as  he  were  nat  so  ; 

A1  drerywashis  cheere  and  his  lookyng,  12,850 
Whan  that  he  sholde  out  of  the  chambre  go. 
Soone  after  this,  a  furlong  wey 2  or  two, 

He  prively  hath  toold  al  his  entent 
Un-to  a  man,  and  to  his  wyf  hym  sente. 

A  maner  sergeant  was  this  privee  man, 

The  which  that  feithful  ofte  he  founden  hadde 
In  thynges  grete,  and  eek  swich  folk  wel  kan 
Doon  execucioun  on  thynges  badde  ; 

The  lord  knew  wel  that  he  hym  loved  and 
dradde  :  1 2,859 

And  whan  this  sergeant  wiste  his  3  lordes  wille, 
In-to  the  chambre  he  stalked  hym  ful  stille. 

“  Madame,”  he  seyde,  “  ye  moote  4  forgeve  it 
me, 

Though  I  do  thyng  to  which  I  am  constreyned  ; 
Ye  been  so  wys,  that  ful  wel  knowe  ye 
That  lordes  heestes  mowe  5  nat  been  yfeyned  ; 6 
They  mowe  wel  been  biwailled  and  compleyned, 
But  men  moote  nede  un-to  hire  lust  obeye, 

And  so  wol  I ;  ther  is  namoore  to  seye.  (8408  T.) 
This  child  I  am  comanded  for  to  take,”  — 

And  spak  namoore  but  out  the  child  he  hente 7 
Despitously,  and  gan  a  cheere  make  12,871 

1  Inclination.  2  A  little  while.  Cf.  1.  3637.  3  Elies.  MS.  has 

“the.”  1  Must.  5  May.  0  Evaded.  7  Snatched. 


528  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

As  though  he  wolde  han  slayn  it  er  he  wente. 
Grisildis  moot  al  suffren  and  consente  ; 

And  as  a  lamb  she  sitteth  meke  and  stille, 

And  leet  this  crueel  sergeant  doon  his  wille. 

Suspecious  was  the  diffame  1  of  this  man, 
Suspect  his  face,  suspect  his  word  also, 

Suspect  the  tyme  in  which  he  this  bigan  ; 

Allas,  hir  doghter  that  she  loved  so,  12,8,79 
She  wende  he  wolde  han  slawen  it  right  tho ; 
But  nathelees  she  neither  weepe  ne  sykecl,2 
Consentynge  hire  to  that  the  markys  lyked  ; 
But  atte  laste  to  speken  she  bigan, 

And  mekely  she  to  the  sergeant  preyde, 

So  as  he  was  a  worthy  gentil  man, 

That  she  moste  kisse  hire  child  er  that  it  deyde ; 
And  in  hir  barm  3  this  litel  child  she  leyde 
With  ful  sad  face,  and  gan  the  child  to  kisse, 
And  lulled  it,  and  after  gan  it  blisse ; 

And  thus  she  seyde  in  hire  benigne  voys,  12,890 
“  Fare  weel,  my  child,4  I  shal  thee  nevere  see  ! 
But  sith  I  thee  have  marked  with  the  croys, 

Of  thilke  Fader  blessed  moote  he  be, 

That  for  us  deyde  up  on  a  croys  of  tree. 

Thy  soule,  litel  child,  I  hym  bitake,5 
For  this  nyght  shaltow  dyen  for  my  sake.” 

I  trowe  that  to  a  norice  6  in  this  cas 
It  had  been  hard  this  reuthe  7  for  to  se  ; 

Wei  myghte  a  mooder  thanne  han  cryd,  alias  ! 

1  Bad  name.  2  Sighed.  3  Lap.  4  Cf.  1.  525S,  etc.  5  Commend 
to  him.  0  Nurse.  7  Pitiful  sight. 


“  BURIETH  THIS  LITEL  BODY.”  529 

But  nathelees,  so  sad  and  stidefast  was  she, 
That  she  endured  al  adversitee,  12,901 

And  to  the  sergeant  mekely  she  sayde, 

“  Have  heer  agayn  youre  litel  yonge  mayde  ; 
Gooth  now,”  quod  she,  “  and  dooth  my  lordes 
heeste  ; 

And  o  thyng  wol  I  prey  yow  of  youre  grace, 
That,  but  my  lord  forbad  yow,  atte  leeste 
Burieth  this  litel  body  in  som  place 
That  beestes  ne  no  briddes  it  to-race  ;  ”  1 
But  he  no  word  wol  to  that  purpos  seye,  12,909 
But  took  the  child  and  wente  upon  his  weye. 

This  sergeant  cam  un-to  his  lord  ageyn, 

And  of  Grisildis  wordes  and  hire  cheere 
He  tolde  hym  point  for  point,  in  short  and 
pleyn,  (8453  T.) 

And  hym  presenteth  with  his  doghter  deere. 
Somwhat  this  lord  hath  routhe  in  his  manere, 
But  nathelees  his  purpos  heeld  he  stille, 

As  lordes  cloon  whan  they  wol  han  hir  wille  ; 
And  bad  his  sergeant  that  he  pryvely 
Sholde  this  child  ful 2  softe  wynde  and  wrappe 
With  alle  circumstances,  tendrely,  12,920 

And  carie  it  in  a  cofre,  or  in  a  lappe  ; 

But,  up-on  peyne  his  heed  of  for  to  swappe,3 
That  no  man  sholde  knowe  of  his  entente, 

Ne  whenne  4  he  cam2  ne  whider  that  he  wente  ; 
But  at  Boloigne  to  his  suster  deere, 

That  thilke  tyme  of  Panik  was  coutitesse, 

1  Tear  to  pieces.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Strike.  *  Whence. 
VOL.  I.  34 


530 


THE  CLERK  S  TALE. 


He  sholde  it  take,  and  shewe  hire  thismateere, 
Bisekynge  hire  to  doon  hire  bisynesse 
This  child  to  fostre  in  alle  gentillesse  ;  12,929 
And  whos  child  that  it  was  he  bad  hir  1  hyde 
From  every  wight  for  oght  that  may  bityde. 
The  sergeant  gooth,  and  hath  fulfild  this 
thyng ; 

But  to  this  markys  now  retourne  we, 

For  now  gooth  he  ful  faste  ymaginyng 

If  by  his  wyves  cheere  he  myghte  se 

Or  by  hire  word  aperceyve  that  she 

Were  chaunged  ;  but  he  nevere  hire  koude  fynde 

But  evere  in  oon  ylike  sad  and  kynde,2 

As  glad,  as  humble,  as  bisy  in  servyse, 

And  eek  in  love,  as  she  was  wont  to  be,  12,940 
Was  she  to  hym  in  every  maner  wyse  ; 

Ne  of  hir  doghter  noght  a  word  spak  she. 

Noon  accident  for  noon  adversitee  3 

Was  seyn  in  hire,  ne  nevere  hir  doghter  name 

Ne  nempned  4  she,  in  ernest  nor  in  game. 

FOURTH  PART. 

In  this  estaat  ther  passed  been  foure  yeer 
Er  she  with  childe  was  ;  but,  as  God  wolde, 

A  knave  child  she  bar  by  this  Walter, 

Ful  gracious  and  fair  for  to  biholde  ; 

And  whan  that  folk  it  to  his  fader  tolde,  12,950 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “hym.”  2  Constant  and  natural.  3  No  acci 
dental  token  of  adversity.  4  Named. 


“I  WOLDE  LYVE  IN  PEES.”  53 1 

Nat  oonly  he,  but  al  his  contree,  merye 
Was  for  this  child,  and  God  they  thanke  and 
herye.1 

Whan  it  was  two  yeer  old,  and  fro  the  brest 
Departed  of  his  norice,  on  a  day 
This  markys  caugh^e  yet  another  lest 2 
To  tempte  his  wyf  yet  ofter,  if  he  may. 

O,  nedelees  was  she  tempted  in  assay  ! 

But  wedded  men  ne  knowe  no  mesure 
Whan  that  they  fynde  a  pacient  creature  ! 
“Wyf,”  quod  this  markys,  “ye  han  herd  er 
this  12,960 

My  peple  sikly  berth  oure  mariage, 

And  namely3  sith  my  sone  yborn  is,  (8502  T.) 
Now  is  it  worse  than  evere  in  al  oure  age. 

The  murmure  sleeth  4  myn  herte  and  my  corage  ; 
For  to  myne  eres  comth  the  voys  so  smerte 
That  it  wel  ny  destroyed  hath  myn  herte. 

“  Now  sey  they  thus  :  ‘  Whan  Walter  is  agon 
Thanne  shal  the  blood  of  Janicle  succede, 

And  been  oure  lord,  for  oother  have  we  noon  ;  ’ 
Swiche  wordes  seith  my  peple,  out  of  drede,0 
Wel  oughte  I  of  swich  murmur  taken  heede, 
For  certeinly  I  drede  swich  sentence,6  12,972 
Though  they  nat  pleyn  speke  in  myn  audience. 
I  wolde  lyve  in  pees,  if  that  I  myghte, 
Wherfore  I  am  disposed  outrely,7 
As  I  his  suster  servede  by  nyghte, 


1  Praise.  2  Desire.  3  Especially. 
6  Expression  of  opinion.  7  Fully. 


4  Slayeth.  6  In  faith. 


532 


THE  CLERK  S  TALE. 


Right  so  thenke  I  to  serve  hym  pryvely. 

This  warne  I  yow,  that  ye  nat  sodeynly 
Out  of  youre-self  for  no  wo  sholde  outreye,1  — 
Beth  patient,  and  ther  of  I  yow  preye.”  12,980 
“  I  have,”  quod  she,  “  seyd  thus,  and  evere 
shal,  • 

I  wol  no  thyng,  ne  nyl 2  no  thyng  certayn, 

But  as  yow  list ;  naught  greveth  me  at  al 
Though  that  my  doughter  and  my  sone  be 
slayn 

At  youre  comandement ;  this  is  to  sayn, 

I  have  noght  had  no  part  of  children  tweyne, 
But  first  siknesse  and  after  wo  and  peyne. 

Ye  been  oure  lord,  dooth  with  youre  owene 
thyng 

Right  as  yow  list,  —  axeth  no  reed  8  at  me, 

For  as  I'lefte  at  hoom  al  my  clothyng  12,990 
Whan  I  first  cam  to  yow,  right  so,”  quod  she, 

“  Lefte  I  my  wyl,  and  al  my  libertee, 

And  took  youre  clothyng ;  wherfore  I  yow 
preye, 

Dooth  youre  plesaunce,  I  wol  youre  lust  obeye. 

And  certes,  if  I  hadde  prescience 

Youre  wyl  to  knowe  er  ye  youre  lust  me  tolde, 

I  wolde  it  doon  with-outen  necligence  ; 

But  now  I  woot 4  youre  lust  and  what  ye  wolde, 
Al  youre  plesance  ferine  and  stable  I  holde  ; 
For  wiste  I  that  my  deeth  wolde  do  yow  ese, 
Right  gladly  wolde  I  dyen  yow  to  plese  ;  13,001 

1  Rave.  2  Dislike.  3  Counsel.  4  Know. 


‘"THIS  MARKYS  WONDRED. 


533 


Deth  may  noght  make  no  comparisoun 
Un-to  youre  love  ;  ”  and  whan  this  markys  say 1 
The  Constance  of-  his  wyf,  he  caste  adoun 
Hise  eyen  two,  and  wondreth  that  she  may 
In  pacience  suffre  al  this  array  ;2 
And  forth  he  goth  with  drery  contenance, 

But  to  his  herte  it  was  ful  greet  plesance. 

This  ugly  sergeant,  in  the  same  wyse 
That  he  hire  doghter  caughte,  right  so  he, 

Or  worse,  if  men  worse  kan  devyse,  13,011 
Hath  hent  hire  sone  that  ful  was  of  beautee. 
And  evere  in  oon  so  pacient  was  she  (8553  t.) 
That  she  no  chiere  maade  of  hevynesse, 

But  kiste  hir  sone,  and  after  gan  it  blesse  ; 
Save  this  :  she  preyde  hym,  that  if  he  myghte, 
Hir  litel  sone  he  wolde  in  erthe  grave, 

His  tendre  lymes,  delicaat  to  sighte, 

Fro  foweles  and  fro  beestes  for  to  save  ; 

But  she  noon  answere  of  hym  myghte  have  ; 
He  wente  his  wey,  as  hym  no-thyng  ne  roghte,3 
But  to  Boloigne  he  tendrely  it  broghte.  13,022 
This  markys  wondred  evere  lenger  the  moore 
Up-on  hir  pacience,  and  if  that  he 
Ne  hadde  soothly  knowen  ther  bifoore 
That  parfitly  hir  children  loved  she, 

He  wolde  have  wend  that  of  som  subtiltee, 
And  of  malice,  or  for  crueel  corage,4 
That  she  hadde  suffred  this  with  sad  visage  ; 
But  wel  he  knew,  that  next  hym-self,  certayn 


1  Saw.  -  Ordinance.  3  Recked.  4  Inclination. 


534 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


She  loved  hir  children  best  in  every  wyse. 

But  now  of  wommen  wolde  I  axen  fayn  13,032 
If  thise  assayes  myghte  nat  suffise  ? 

What  koude  a  sturdy  housbonde  moore  devyse 
To  preeve  hire  wyfhod,  or  hir  stedefastnesse, 
And  he  continuynge  evere  in  sturdinesse  ? 

But  ther  been  folk  of  swich  condicioun 
That  whan  they  have  a  certein  purpos  take, 
They  kan  nat  stynte  of  hire  entencioun, 

But  right  as  they  were  bounden  to  that  stake 
They  wol  nat  of  that  firste  purpos  slake. 

Right  so  this  markys  fulliche  hath  purposed 
To  tempte  his  wyf  as  he  was  first  disposed. 

He  waiteth,1  if  by  word  or  contenance,  13,044 
That  she  to  hym  was  changed  of  corage  ; 

But  nevere  koude  he  fynde  variance  ; 

She  was  ay  oon  in  herte  and  in  visage, 

And  ay  the  forther  that  she  was  in  age 
The  moore  trewe,  if  that  it  were  possible, 

She  was  to  hym  in  love,  and  moore  penyble  ;2 
For  which  it  semed  thus  that  of  hem  two 
Ther  nas  but  o  wyl,  for  as  Walter  leste, 

The  same  lust  was  hire  plesance  also;  13,053 
And,  God  be  thanked,  al  fil  for  the  beste. 

She  shewed  wel,8  for  no  worldly  unreste 
A  wyf,  as  of  hir  self,  no  thing  ne  sholde 
Wille  in  effect,  but  as  hir  housbonde  wolde. 
The  sclaundre  4  of  Walter  ofte  and  wyde 
spradde, 

1  Watcheth.  2  Painstaking.  3  Made  it  clear  that.  4  Ill  repute. 


“his  crueel  purpos.”  535 

That  of  a  crueel  herte  he  wikkedly,  13,059 
For  1  he  a  povre  womman  wedded  hadde, 

Hath  mordred  bothe  his  children  prively. 
Swich  murmure  was  among  hem  comunly. 

No  wonder  is,  for  to  the  peples  ere 
Ther  cam  no  word  but  that  they  mordred  were  ; 
For  which,  where-as  his  peple  ther  bifore 
Hadde  loved  hym  wel,  the  sclaundre  of  his 
diffame  •  (8606  t.) 

Made  hem  that  they  hym  hatede  therfore. 

To  been  a  mordrere  is  an  hateful  name, 

But  nathelees,  for  ernest  ne  for  game, 

He  of  his  crueel  purpos  nolde  stente ;  13,070 

To  tempte  his  wyf  was  set  al  his  entente. 

Whan  that  his  doghter  twelf  yeer  was  of  age 
He  to  the  court  of  Rome,  in  subtil  wyse 
Enformed  of  his  wyl,  sente  his  message,2 
Comaundynge  hem  swiche  bulles  to  devyse 
As  to  his  crueel  purpos  may  suffyse, 

How  that  the  pope,  as  for  his  peples  reste, 

Bad  hym  to  wedde  another  if  hym  leste. 

I  seye,  he  bad  they  sholde  countrefete 
The  popes  bulles,  makynge  mencioun  13,080 
That  he  hath  leve  his  firste  wyf  to  lete,3 
As  by  the  popes  dispensacioun, 

To  stynte  rancour  and  dissencioun 
Bitwixe  his  peple  and  hym ;  thus  seyde  the 
bulle, 

The  which  they  han  publiced  atte  fulle. 


1  Because.  2  Messenger.  3  Leave. 


THE  CLERK  S  TALE. 


536 

The  rude  peple,  as  it  no  wonder  is, 

Wenden  1  ful  wel  that  it  hadde  be  right  so  ; 

But  whan  thise  tidynges  cam  to  Grisildis 
I  deeme  that  hire  herte  was  ful  wo  ; 

But  she  —  ylike  sad  2  for  everemo —  13*090 

Disposed  was,  this  humble  creature, 

The  adversitee  of  Fortune  al  tendure, 

Abidynge  evere  his  lust  and  his  plesance 
To  whom  that  she  was  geven  herte  and  al, 

As  to  hire  verray  worldly  suffisance. 

But,  shortly  if  this  storie  I  tellen  shal, 

This  markys  writen  hath  in  special 
A  lettre,  in  which  he  sheweth  his  entente, 

And  secreely  he  to  Boloigne  it  sente. 

To  the  erl  of  Panyk,  which  that  hadde  tho  3 
Wedded  his  suster,  preyde  he  specially  13,101 
To  bryngen  hoom  agayn  hise  children  two 
In  honurable  estaat  al  openly ; 

But  o  thyng  he  hym  preyde  outrely, 

That  he  to  no  wight,  though  men  wolde  en- 
quere, 

Sholde  nat  telle  whos  children  that  they  were ; 
But  seye,  the  mayden  sholde  ywedded  be 
Un-to  the  markys  of  Saluce  anon. 

And  as  this  erl  was  preyd,  so  dide  he  ; 

For  at  day  set  he  on  his  wey  is  goon  13,110 
Toward  Saluce,  and  lordes  may  oon 
In  riche  array,  this  mayden  for  to  gyde, 

Hir  yonge  brother  ridynge  hire  bisyde. 


1  Thought.  2  Constant.  3  Then. 


“the  outtreste  preeve.”  537 

Arrayed  was  toward  hir  mariage  (8654  t.) 
This  fresshe  mayde  ful  of  gemmes  cleere. 

Hir  brother,  which  that  seven  yeer  was  of  age, 
Arrayed  eek  ful  fressh  in  his  manere  ; 

And  thus  in  greet  noblesse  and  with  glad  cheere, 
Toward  Saluces  shapynge  hir  journey, 

Fro  day  to  day  they  ryden  in  hir  wey.  13,120 

FIFTH  PART. 

Among  al  this,  after  his  wikke  usage, 

This  markys,  yet  his  wyf  to  tempte  moore, 

To  the  outtreste  preeve  of  hir  corage, 

Fully  to  han  experience  and  loore 
If  that  she  were  as  stidefast  as  bifoore, 

He  on  a  day,  in  open  audience, 

Ful  boistously  hath  seyd  hire  this  sentence  : 

“  Certes,  Grisilde,  I  hadde  ynogh  plesance 
To  han  yow  to  my  wyf  for  youre  goodnesse 
As  for  youre  trouthe  and  for  youre  obeisance, 
Noght  for  youre  lynage,  ne  for  youre  richesse  : 
But  now  knowe  I  in  verray  soothfastnesse 
That  in  greet  lordshipe,  if  I  wel  avyse,  13,133 
Ther  is  greet  servitute,  in  sondry  wyse. 

I  may  nat  doon  as  every  plowman  may,  — 

My  peple  me  constreyneth  for  to  take 
Another  wyf,  and  crien  day  by  day, 

And  eek  the  pope,  rancour  for  to  slake, 
Consenteth  it,  that  dar  I  undertake  ; 

And  treweliche  thus  muche  I  wol  yow  seye, 


533  the  clerk’s  tale. 

My  newe  wyf  is  comynge  by  the  weye.  13,141 
Be  strong  of  herte,  and  voyde  anon  hir  place, 
And  thilke  dowere  that  ye  broghten  me, 

Taak  it  agayn,  I  graunte  it  of  my  grace. 
Retourneth  to  youre  fadres  hous,”  quod  he, 
“No  man  may  alwey  han  prosperitee. 

With  evene  herte  I  rede  1  yow  tendure 
This  strook  of  Fortune  or  of  aventure.” 

And  she  answerde  agayn  in  pacience  : 

“  My  lord,”  quod  she,  “  I  woot  and  wiste  alway 
How  that  bitwixen  youre  magnificence  13,151 
And  my  poverte  no  wight  kan  ne  may 
Maken  comparisoun,  it  is  no  nay ; 

I  ne  heeld  me  nevere  digne  in  no  manere 
To  be  youre  wyf,  no,  ne  youre  chambrere  ; 
And  in  this  hous  ther  ye  me  lady  maade, 

The  heighe  God  take  I  for  my  witnesse, 

And  also  wysly  2  he  my  soule  glaade  ! 

I  nevere  heeld  me  lady,  ne  maistresse, 

But  humble  servant  to  youre  worthynesse,i3,i6o 
And  evere  shal,  whil  that  my  lyf  may  dure, 
Aboven  every  wordly  creature. 

That  ye  so  longe  of  youre  benignitee 
Han  holden  me  in  honour  and  nobleye, 

Where  as  I  was  noght  worthy  for  to 3  bee, 

That  thonke  I  God,  and  yow,  to  whom  I  preye 
Foryelde  it  yow  ;  ther  is  namoore  to  seye  ; 
Un-to  my  fader  gladly  wol  I  wende  (8708  T.) 
And  with  hym  clwelle  un-to  my  lyves  ende  ; 

1  Counsel.  2  Truly.  3  “  For  to”  not  In  Elies.  MS. 


“how  kynde  ye  semed.”  539 

Ther  I  was  fostred  of  a  child  ful  smal.  13,170 
Til  I  be  deed  my  lyf  ther  wol  I  lede, 

A  wydwe  clene,  in  body,  herte  and  al ; 

For  sith  I  gaf  to  yow  my  maydenhede, 

And  am  youre  trewe  wyf,  it  is  no  drede, 

God  shilde  swich  a  lordes  wyf  to  take 
Another  man  to  housbonde  or  to  make  ; 1 
And  of  youre  newe  wyf  God  of  his  grace 
So  graunte  yow  wele  2  and  prosperitee  ; 

For  I  wol  gladly  yelden  hire  my  place, 

In  which  that  I  was  blisful  wont  to  bee,  13,180 
For  sith  it  liketh  yow,  my  lord,”  quod  shee, 

“  That  whilom  weren  al  myn  hertes  reste, 

That  I  shal  goon,  I  wol  goon  whan  yow  leste. 
But  ther  as  ye  me  profre  swich  dowaire 
As  I  first  broghte,  it  is  wel  in  my  mynde 
It  were  my  wrecched  clothes,  no  thyng  faire, 
The  whiche  to  me  were  hard  now  for  to  fynde. 

“  O  goode  God,  how  gentil  and  how  kynde 
Ye  semed  by  youre  speche  and  youre  visage 
The  day  that  maked  was  oure  mariage  !  13,190 
But  sooth  is  seyd,  algate  3  I  fynde  it  trewe, 

For  in  effect  it  preeved  is  on  me, 

Love  is  noght  oold  as  whan  that  it  is  newe  ! 

But  certes,  lord,  for  noon  adversitee 
To  dyen  in  the  cas,  it  shal  nat  bee 
That  evere  in  word  or  werk  I  shal  repente 
That  I  yow  gaf  myn  herte  in  hool  entente. 

My  lord,  ye  woot  that  in  my  fadres  place 

1  Mate.  2  Wealth,  i.  e.,  well-being.  3  Always. 


540 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


Ye  dide  me  streepe  out  of  my  povre  weede,1 
And  richely  me  cladden  of  youre  grace.  13,200 
To  yow  broghte  I  noght  elles,  out  of  drede, 
But  feith  and  nakednesse  and  maydenhede ; 
And  heere  agayn  my  clothyng  I  restoore, 

And  eek  my  weddyng  ryng,  for  everemore. 

The  remenant  of  youre  jueles  redy  be 
In  with  youre  chambre,  dar  I  saufly  sayn. 
Naked  out  of  my  fadres  hous,”  quod  she, 

“  I  cam  and  naked  moot  I  turne  agayn  ; 

A1  youre  plesance  wol  I  folwen  fayn  ; 

But  yet  I  hope  it  be  nat  youre  entente  13,210 
That  I  smoklees  out  of  youre  paleys  wente. 

Ye  koude  nat  doon  so  dishoneste2  a  thyng 
That  thilke  wombe 3  in  which  youre  children 
leye  (8753  t.) 

Sholde  biforn  the  peple  in  my  walkyng 
Be  seyn  al  bare,  wherfore  I  yow  preye, 

Lat  me  nat  lyk  a  worm  go  by  the  weye. 
Remembre  yow,  myn  owene  lord,  so  deere, 

I  was  youre  wyf  though  I  unworthy  weere  ; 
Wherfore  in  gerdoun  4  of  my  maydenhede 
Which  that  I  broghte,  and  noght  agayn  I 
bere,  13,220 

As  voucheth  sauf  to  geve  me  to  my  meede 4 
But  swich  a  smok  as  I  was  wont  to  were, 

That  I  ther-with  may  wrye  5  the  wombe  of  here 
That  was  youre  wyf  ;  and  heer  take  I  my  leeve 
Of  yow,  myn  owene  lord,  lest  I  yow  greve.” 

1  Garment.  2  Disreputable.  8  Belly.  4  Reward.  5  Cover. 


“with  heed  and  foot  al  bare.”  541 

“  The  smok,”  quod  he,  “  that  thou  hast  on  thy 
bak, 

Lat  it  be  stille,  and  bere  it  forth  with  thee.” 

But  wel  unnethes  1  thilke  word  he  spak, 

But  wente  his  wey,  for  routhe  and  for  pitee. 

Biforn  the  folk  hir-selven  strepeth  she,  13,230 
And  in  hir  smok,  with  heed  and  foot  al  bare, 
Toward  hir  fader  hous  forth  is  she  fare.2 
The  folk  hire  folwe  wepynge  in  hir  weye, 

And  Fortune  ay  they  cursen  as  they  goon ; 

But  she  fro  wepyng  kepte  hire  eyen  dreye, 

Ne  in  this  tyme  word  ne  spak  she  noon. 

Hir  fader,  that  this  tidynge  herde  anoon, 
Curseth  the  day  and  tyme  that  nature 
Shoope  hym  to  been  a  lyves  creature  ; 

For  out  of  doute  this  olde  povre  man  13,240 
Was  evere  in  suspect  of  hir  mariage  ; 

For  evere  he  demed,  sith  that  it  bigan, 

That  whan  the  lord  fulfild  hadde  his  corage,3 
Hym  wolde  thynke  it  were  a  disparage 
To  his  estaat,  so  lowe  for  talighte, 

And  voyden  hire  as  soone  as  ever  he  myghte. 
Agayns  4  his  doghter  hastiliche  goth  he, 

For  he  by  noyse  of  folk  knew  hire  comynge, 
And  with  hire  olde  coote  as  it  myghte  be, 

He  covered  hire  ful  sorwefully  wepynge  ; 

But  on  hire  body  myghte  he  it  nat  brynge, 

For  rude  was  the  clooth  and  moore  of  age 
By  dayes  fele  5  than  at  hire  mariage.  13,253 

1  Scarcely.  2  Gone.  3  Desire.  4  Towards.  5  Many. 


542  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

Thus  with  hire  fader,  for  a  certeyn  space, 
Dwelleth  this  flour  of  wyfly  pacience, 

That  neither  by  hire  wordes  ne  hire  face, 

Biforn  the  folk,  ne  eek  in  hire  1  absence, 

Ne  shewed  she  that  hire  was  doon  offence;' 

Ne  of  hire  heighe  estaat  no  remembraunce 
Ne  hadde  she,  as  by  hire  contenaunce.  13,260 
No  wonder  is,  for  in  hire  grete  estaat, 

Hire  goost  was  evere  in  pleyn  humylitee  ; 

No  tendre  mouth,  noon  herte  delicaat,2 
No  pompe,  no  semblant  of  roialtee; 

But  ful  of  pacient  benyngnytee,  (8805  t.) 
Discreet  and  pridelees,  ay  honurable, 

And  to  hire  housbonde  evere  meke  and  stable. 

Men  speke  of  Job,  and  moost  for  his  hum- 
blesse,  13,268 

As  clerkes,  whan  hem  list,  konne  wel  endite, 
Namely3  of  men,  but  as  in  soothfastnesse, 
Though  clerkes  preise  wommen  but  a  lite, 

Ther  kan  no  man  in  humblesse  hym  acquite 
As  womman  kan,  ne  kan  been  half  so  trewe 
As  wommen  been,  but  it  be  falle  of  newe.4 

sixth  part. 

Fro  Boloigne  is  this  erl  of  Panyk  come, 

Of  which  the  fame  up  sprang  to  moore  and 
lesse,5 

1  Their.  2  Fastidious.  8  Especially.  4  Unless  some  case  has 
occurred  very  lately.  5  Great  and  small. 


543 


“SELY,  POVRE  GRISILDIS.” 

And  in  the  peples  eres,  alle  and  some, 

Was  kouth  eek  that  a  newe  markysesse 
He  with  hym  broghte,  in  swich  pompe  and 
richesse, 

That  nevere  was  ther  seyn  with  mannes  eye 
So  noble  array  in  al  West  Lumbardye.  13,281 
The  markys,  which  that  shoope  and  knew  al 
this, 

Er  that  this  erl  was  come,  sente  his  message  1 
For  thilke  sely,  povre  Grisildis ; 

And  she  with  humble  herte  and  glad  visage, 
Nat  with  no  swollen  thoght  in  hire  corage, 

Cam  at  his  heste,  and  on  hire  knees  hire  sette, 
And  reverently  and  wisely  she  hym  grette. 

“  Grisilde,”  quod  he,  “my  wyl  is  outrely 
This  mayden  that  shal  wedded  been  to  me 
Received  be  to-morwe  as  roially  13,291 

As  it  possible  is  in  myn  hous  for  2  to  be, 

And  eek  that  every  wight  in  his  degree 
Have  his  estaat  in  sittyng  and  servyse 
And  heigh  plesaunce  as  I  kan  best  devyse. 

I  have  no  wommen  suffisaunt,  certayn, 

The  chambres  for  tarraye  in  ordinaunce 
After  my  lust,  and  therfore  wolde  I  fayn 
That  thyn  were  al  swich  manere  governaunce  ; 
Thou  knovvest  eek  of  old  al  my  plesaunce  ; 
Thogh  thyn  array  be  badde  and  yvel  biseye,3 
Do  thou  thy  devoir4  at  the  leeste  weye.” 

“  Nat  oonly,  lord,  that  I  am  glad,”  quod  she, 

1  Messenger.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Provided.  4  Duty. 


544 


THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 


“  To  doon  youre  lust,  but  I  desire  also  13,304 
Yow  for  to  serve  and  plese  in  my  degree 
With-outen  feyntyng,  and  shal  everemo  ; 

Ne  nevere  for  no  wele,  ne  no  wo, 

Ne  shal  the  goost  with-inne  myn  herte  stente 
To  love  yow  best,  with  al  my  trewe  entente.” 
And  with  that  word  she  gan  the  hous  to 
dighte, 

And  tables  for  to  sette  and  beddes  make, 

And  peyned  hire  to  doon  al  that  she  myghte, 
Preyynge  the  chambreres  for  Goddes  sake 
To  hasten  hem,  and  faste  swepe  and  shake  ; 
And  she  the  mooste  servysable  of  alle  13,315 
Hath  every  chambre  arrayed  and  his  halle. 

Abouten  undren  gan  this  erl  alighte  (8857  T-) 
That  with  him  broghte  thise  noble  children 
tweye, 

For  which  the  peple  ran  to  seen  the  sighte 
Of  hire  array  so  richely  biseye  ;  13,320 

And  thanne  at  erst  amonges  hem  they  seye, 
That  Walter  was  no  fool,  thogh  that  hym  leste 
To  chaunge  his  wyf,  for  it  was  for  the  beste  ; 
For  she  is  fairer,  as  they  deemen  alle, 

Than  is  Grisilde,  and  moore  tendre  of  age, 

And  fairer  fruyt  bitwene  hem  sholde  falle, 

And  moore  plesant,  for  hire  heigh  lynage  ; 

Hir  brother  eek  so  faire  was  of  visage 
That  hem  to  seen  the  peple  hath  caught  ple- 
saunce,  13,329 

Commendynge  now  the  markys  governaunce. — 


“  O  STORMY  PEPLE  !  ”  545 

“O  stormy  peple  !  unsad,1  and  evere  untrewe ! 
Ay  undiscreet,  and  chaungynge  as  a  vane, 
Delitynge  evere  in  rumbul 2  that  is  newe  ; 

For  lyk  the  moone,  ay  wexe  ye  and  wane  ! 

Ay  ful  of  clappyng  3  deere  ynogh  a-jane  ! 4 
Youre  doom  is  fals,  youre  Constance  yvele 
preeveth, 

A  ful  greet  fool  is  he  that  on  yow  leeveth.”  5 
Thus  seyden  saclde  6  folk  in  that  citee 
Whan  that  the  peple  gazed  up  and  doun,  — 
For  they  were  glad  right  for  the  noveltee 
To  han  a  newe  lady  of  hir  toun.  13,341 

Namoore  of  this  make  I  now  mencioun, 

But  to  Grisilde  agayn  wol  I  me  dresse, 

And  telle  hir  Constance  and  hir  bisynesse.  — 
Ful  bisy  was  Grisilde  in  every  thyng 
That  to  the  feeste  was  apertinent ; 

Right  noght  was  she  abayst 7  of  hire  clothyng, 
Thogh  it  were  rude  and  somdeel  eek  to-rent, 
But  with  glad  cheere  to  the  gate  is  she  went 8 
With  oother  folk  to  greete  the  markysesse, 

And  after  that  dooth  forth  hire  bisynesse.  13,35 1 
With  so  glad  chiere  hise  gestes  she  receyveth, 
And  so  konnyngly,9  everich  in  his  degree, 

That  no  defaute  no  man  aperceyvetb, 

But  ay  they  wondren  what  she  myghte  bee 
That  in  so  povre  array  was  for  to  see, 

And  koude  swich  honour  and  reverence, 

1  Unstable,  inconstant.  2  Rumor.  3  Empty  talk.  4  A  small 
coin  of  Genoa.  Cf.  1.  6347.  5  Believeth.  6  Discreet.  7  Abashed. 
8  Gone.  0  Understand) ngly. 


54^  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

And  worthily  they  preisen  hire  prudence. 

In  al  this  meene-while  she  ne  stente  13,359 
This  mayde,  and  eek  hir  brother,  to  commende 
With  al  hir  herte,  in  ful  benyngne  entente, 

So  wel  that  no  man  koude  hir  pris 1  amende  ; 
But  atte  laste  whan  that  thise  lordes  wende 
To  sitten  doun  to  mete,  he  gan  to  calle 
Grisilde,  as  she  was  bisy  in  his  halle.  (8905  T.) 
“  Grisilde,”  quod  he,  as  it  were  in  his  pley, 

“  How  liketh 2  thee  my  wyf,  and  hire  beautee  ?  ” 
“  Right  wel,”  quod  she,  “  my  lord,  for  in  good 
fey 

A  fairer  saugh  I  nevere  noon  than  she  ; 

I  prey  to  God  geve  hire  prosperitee;  13,370 
And  so  hope  I  that  he  wol  to  yow  sende 
Plesance  ynogh  un-to  youre  lyves  ende. 

O  thyng  biseke  I  yow,  and  warne  also, 

That  ye  ne  prikke  with  no  tormentynge 
This  tendre  mayden,  as  ye  han  doon  mo  ; 3 
For  she  is  fostred  in  hire  norissynge 
Moore  tendrely,  and  to  my  supposynge, 

She  koude  nat  adversitee  endure 
As  koude  a  povre  fostred  creature.” 

And  whan  this  Walter  saugh  hire  pacience, 

Hir  glad  chiere,  and  no  malice  at  al,  13,381 
And  he  so  ofte  had  doon  to  hire  offence 
And  she  ay  sad  4  and  constant  as  a  wal, 
Continuynge  evere  hire  innocence  overal, 

This  sturdy  markys  gan  his  herte  dresse 

1  Praise.  2  Pleaseth.  3  Another,  somebody  else.  4  Stable. 


“  GRISILDE,  THOU  ART  MY  WYF  !  ”  547 

To  re  wen  1  up-on  hire  wyfly  stedfastnesse. 

“  This  is  ynogh,  Grisilde  myn,”  quod  he, 

“  Be  now  namoore  agast,  ne  yvele  apayed  ; 2 
I  have  thy  feith  and  thy  benyngnytee 
As  wel  as  evere  womraan  was,  assayed,  13,390 
In  greet  estaat  and  povreliche  arrayed. 

Now  knowe  I,  goode  wyf,  thy  stedfastnesse  ;  ” 
And  hire  in  armes  took,  and  gan  hire  kesse. 
And  she  for  wonder  took  of  it  no  keepe,3 
She  herde  nat  what  thyng  he  to  hire  seyde, 

She  ferde,  as  she  had  stert  out  of  a  sleepe, 

Til  she  out  of  hire  mazednesse  abreyde.4 
“  Grisilde,”  quod  he,  “  by  God  that  for  us 
deyde, 

Thou  art  my  wyf,  ne  noon  oother  I  have, 

Ne  nevere  hadde,  as  God  my  soul  save  !  13,400 
This  is  thy  doghter,  which  thou  hast  supposed 
To  be  my  wyf,  —  that  oother  feithfully 
Shal  be  myn  heir,  as  I  have  ay  purposed  ; 
Thou  bare  hym  in  thy  body  trewely  ; 

At  Boloigne  have  I  kept  hem  prively. 

Taak  hem  agayn,  for  now  maystow  nat  seye 
That  thou  hast  lorn  noon 5  of  thy  children 
tweye ; 

And  folk  that  ootherweys  han  seyd  of  me, 

I  warne  hem  wel  that  I  have  doon  this  deede 
For  no  malice,  ne  for  no  crueltee,  13,410 

But  for  tassaye  in  thee  thy  wommanheede, 

And  nat  to  sleen  my  children,  God  forbeede  ! 

1  Pity.  2  Displeased.  3  Heed.  4  Awoke.  13  Not  one. 


548  THE  CLERK’S  TALE. 

But  for  to  kepe  hem  pryvely  and  stille 
Til  I  thy  purpos  knewe  and  al  thy  wille.” 

Whan  she  this  herde,  aswowne  doun  she  falleth 
For  pitous  joye,  and  after  hire  swownynge 
She  bothe  hire  yonge  children  un-to  hire  calleth, 
And  in  hire  armes,  pitously  wepynge,  (8958  t.) 
Embraceth  hem,  and  tendrely  kissynge, 

Ful  lyk  a  mooder,  with  hire  salte  teeres  13,420 
She  bathed  bothe  hire  visage  and  hire  heeres. 
O  which  a  pitous  thyng  it  was  to  se 
Hir  swownyng,  and  hire  humble  voys  to  heere  ! 
“  Graunt  mercy}  lord !  that  thanke  I  yow,” 
quod  she, 

“  That  ye  han  saved  me  my  children  deere. 
Now  rekke  I  nevere  2  to  been  deed  right  heere, 
Sith  I  stonde  in  youre  love  and  in  youre  grace. 
No  fors  of 3  deeth,  ne  whan  my  spirit  pace  ! 4 
O  tendre,  O  deere,  O  yonge  children  myne ! 
Youre  woful  mooder  wende  stedfastly  13,430 
That  crueel  houndes,  or  som  foul  vermyne, 
Hadde  eten  yow  ;  but  God,  of  his  mercy, 

And  youre  benyngne  fader,  tendrely 
Hath  doon  yow  kept  ”  —  and  in  that  same 
stounde  5 

Al  sodeynly  she  swapte  6  adoun  to  grounde  ; 
And  in  hire  swough  so  sadly  7  holdeth  she 
Hire  children  two,  whan  she  gan  hem  tembrace, 
That  with  greet  sleighte,  and  greet  difficultee 
The  children  from  hire  arm  theygoone  arrace.8 

1  Great  thanks.  2  I  reck  not.  3  No  matter  for.  4  Pass.  0  Mo¬ 
ment.  c  Swooped.  7  Firmly.  8  Tear. 


“  HONURED  AS  HIRE  OGHTE.”  549 

O  many  a  teere  on  many  a  pitous  face  13,440 
Doun  ran  of  hem  that  stooden  hire  bisyde  3 
Unnethe  1  abouten  hire  myghte  they  abyde  ! 
Walter  hire  gladeth,  and  hire  sorwe  slaketh  3 
She  riseth  up  abaysed  2  from  hire  traunce, 

And  every  wight  hire  joye  and  feeste  maketh, 
Til  she  hath  caught  agayn  hire  contenaunce. 
Walter  hire  dooth  so  feithfully  plesaunce 
That  it  was  deyntee  for  to  seen  the  cheere 
Bitwixe  hem  two,  now  they  been  met  yfeere.3 
Thise  ladyes,  whan  that  they  hir  tyme  saye, 
Han  taken  hire  and  in-to  chambre  gon,  13,451 
And  strepen  hire  out  of  hire  rude  array, 

And  in  a  clooth  of  gold  that  brighte  shoon, 
With  a  coroune  of  many  a  riche  stoon 
Up-on  hire  heed,  they  in-to  halle  hire  broghte, 
And  ther  she  was  honured  as  hire  oghte. 

Thus  hath  this  pitous  day  a  blisful  ende, 

For  every  man  and  womman  dooth  his  myght 
This  day  in  murthe  and  revel  to  dispende, 

Til  on  the  welkne  shoon  the  sterres  lyght 3 
For  more  solempne  in  every  mannes  syght 
This  feste  was,  and  gretter  of  costage,4  13,462 
Than  was  the  revel  of  hire  mariage. 

Ful  many  a  yeer  in  heigh  prosperitee 
Lyven  thise  two  in  concord  and  in  reste, 

And  richely  his  doghter  maryed  he  (9006  T. ) 

Un-to  a  lord,  oon  of  the  worthieste 

Of  al  Ytaille  3  and  thanne  in  pees  and  reste 

1  Scarcely.  2  Abashed.  3  Together.  4  Expense. 


550 


THE  CLERKS  TALE. 


His  wyves  fader  in  his  court  he  kepeth, 

Til  that 'the  soule  out  of  his  body  crepeth. 

His  sone  succedeth  in  his  heritage  13,471 
In  reste  and  pees  after  his  fader  day, 

And  fortunat  was  eek  in  mariage  ; 

A1  putte  he  nat  his  wyf  in  greet  assay. 

This  world  is  nat  so  strong,  it  is  no  nay, 

As  it  hath  been  of  olde  tymes  yoore ; 

And  herkneth  what  this  auctour  seith  ther- 
foore. 

This  storie  is  seyd,  nat  for  that  wyves  sholde 
Folwen  Grisilde  as  in  humylitee, 

For  it  were  inportable,1  though  they  wolde,  — 
But  for  that  every  wight  in  his  degree  13,481 
Sholde  be  constant  in  adversitee 
As  was  Grisilde,  therfore  this 2  Petrak  writeth 
This  storie,  which  with  heigh  stile  he  endit- 
eth ; 

For  sith  a  womman  was  so  pacient 
Un-to  a  mortal  man,  wel  moore  us  oghte 
Receyven  al  in  gree 8  that  God  us  sent, 

For,  greet  skile  4  is,  he  preeve  that  he  wroghte. 
But  he  ne  tempteth  no  man  that  he  boghte, 

As  seith  Seint  Jame,  if  ye  his  pistel  rede. 

He  preeveth  folk  al  day,  it  is  no  drede,  13,491 
And  suffreth  us,  as  for  oure  exercise, 

With  sharpe  scourges  of  adversitee 
Ful  ofte  to  be  bete  in  sondry  wise, 

1  Unbearable.  2  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  3  Favor.  4  Reason. 


LENVOY  DE  CHAUCER.  55  I 

Nat  for  to  know  oure  wyl,  for  certes  he, 

Er  we  were  born,  knew  al 1  oure  freletee  ; 

And  for  oure  beste  is  al  his  governaunce  ; 

Lat  us  thanne  lyve  in  vertuous  suffraunce.2 

But  o  word,  lordynges,  herkneth,  er  I  go  : 

It  were  ful  hard  to  fynde  now  a  dayes  13,500 
In  al  a  toun  Grisildis  thre  or  two, 

For  if  that  they  were  put  to  swiche  assayes, 
The  gold  of  hem  hath  now  so  badde  alayes  3 
With  bras,  that  thogh  the  coyne  be  fair  at  eye 
It  wolde  rather  breste  4  atwo  than  plye  ; 5 
For  which  heere,  for  the  Wyves  love  of  Bathe,  — 
Whos  lyf  and  al  hire  secte  6  God  mayntene 
In  heigh  maistrie,  and  elles  were  it  scathe,  — 

I  wol  with  lusty  herte,  fressh  and  grene, 

Seyn  yow  a  song  to  glade  yow  I  wene  ;  13,510 
And  lat  us  stynte  of  ernestful  matere  : 
Herkneth  my  song  that  seith  in  this  manere. 

Lenvoy  de  Chaucer. 

Grisilde  is  deed,  and  eek  hire  pacience, 

And  bothe  atones  buryed  in  Ytaille  ; 

For  which  I  crie  in  open  audience,  (9055  x.) 
No  wedded  man  so  hardy  be  tassaille 
His  wyves  pacience  in  hope  to  fynde 
Grisildis,  for  in  certein  he  shal  faille  ! 

1  Notin  Elles.  MS.  2  The  paraphrase  of  the  Latin  of  Petrarch 
ends  here.  3  Alloys.  4  Burst.  5  Bend.  6  Suite. 


552 


CHICHEVACHE. 


O  noble  wyves,  ful  of  heigh  prudence, 

Lat  noon  humylitee  youre  tonge  naill,  13,520 
Ne  lat  no  clerk  have  cause  or  diligence 
To  write  of  yow  a  storie  of  swich  mervaille 
As  of  Grisildis  pacient  and  kynde, 

Lest  Chichivache 1  yow  swelwe  in  hire  entraille  ! 
Folweth  Ekko,  that  holdeth  no  silence, 

But  evere  answereth  at  the  countretaille.2 
Beth  nat  bidaffed  3  for  youre  innocence, 

But  sharply  taak  on  yow  the  governable.4 
Emprenteth  wel  this  lessoun  in  youre  mynde 
For  commune  profit  sith  it  may  availle.  13,530 
Ye  archiwyves  6  stondeth  at  defense, 

Syn  ye  be  strong  as  is  a  greet  camaille,6 
Ne  suffreth  nat  that  men  yow  doon  offense ; 
And  sklendre  wyves,  fieble,  as  in  bataille, 

Beth  egre  as  is  a  tygre  yond  in  Ynde  ; 

Ay  clappeth  as  a  mille,  I  yow  consaille  ; 

Ne  dreed  hem  nat,  doth  hem  no  reverence, 

For  though  thyn  housbonde  armed  be  in  maille, 
The  arwes  of  thy  crabbed  eloquence 
Shal  perce  his  brest,  and  eek  his  aventaille.7 
In  jalousie  I  rede  eek  thou  hym  bynde,  13,541 
And  thou  shalt  make  hym  couche  as  dooth  a 
quaille. 

If  thou  be  fair,  ther  folk  been  in  presence 
Shewe  thou  thy  visage  and  thyn  apparaille  ; 

1  Chiche ,  stingy,  vache,  cow,  apparently  corrupted  from  chiche 
face ,  one  whose  stingy  character  is  written  in  his  face.  A  fabulous 
beast  of  mediaeval  literature  that  fed  on  patient  wives.  Cf.  1.  7212, 
and  Romaunt  of  the  Rose.  1.  5591.  2  Counter  tally,  i.  e-,  in  return. 

3  Befooled.  4  Helm.  5  Ruling  wives.  6  Camel.  7  Ventail,  helmet. 


THE  MERCHANT’S  PROLOGUE.  553 

If  thou  be  foul,  be  fre  of  thy  dispence, 

To  gete  thee  freendes,  ay  do  thy  travaille  ; 

Be  ay  of  chiere,  as  light  as  leef  on  lynde,1 
And  lat  hym  care  and  wepe,  and  wryng  and 
waille  !  (9088  t.) 


The  Prologe  of  the  Marchantes  Tale. 

“  Wepyng  and  waylyng,  care  and  oother 
sorwe  (9089  t.) 

I  knowe  ynogh,  on  even  and  a  morwe,”  13,550 
Quod  the  M archant,  “  and  so  doon  othere  mo 
That  wedded  been,  I  trowe  that  it  be  so ; 

For  wel  I  woot  it  fareth  so  with  me. 

I  have  a  wyf,  the  worste  that  may  be, 

For  thogh  the  feend  to  hire  ycoupled  were, 

She  wolde  hym  overmacche,  I  dar  wel  swere. 
What  sholde  I  yow  reherce  in  special 
Hir  hye  malice  ?  She  is  a  shrewe  at  al. 

Ther  is  a  long  and  large  difference 

Bitwix  Grisildis  grete  pacience,  13,560 

And  of  my  wyf  the  passyng  crueltee  ; 

Were  I  unbounden,  al  so  moot  I  thee  ! 2 
I  wolde  nevere  eft  comen  in  the  snare.3 
We  wedded  men  lyve  in  sorwe  and  care. 

Assaye  who  so  wole  and  he  shal  fynde  (9105  t.) 
I  seye  sooth,  by  Seint  Thomas  of  Ynde  ! 

As  for  the  moore  part,  I  sey  nat  alle ; 

God  shilde  that  it  sholde  so  bifalle  ! 


1  Linden  tree.  2  Thrive.  3  Cf.  Chaucer’s  lines  To  Bukton. 


554 


THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 


“  A  !  good  sire  Hoost !  I  have  ywedded  bee 
Thise  monthes  two,  and  moore  nat,  pardee  ! 
And  yet  I  trowe  he  that  al  his  lyve  13,571 
Wyflees  hath  been,  though  that  men  wolde  him 
ryve 

Un-to  the  herte,  ne  koude  in  no  manere 
Tellen  so  muchel  sorwe  as  I  now  heere 
Koude  tellen  of  my  wyves  cursednesse  !  ” 

“  Now,”  quod  our  Hoost,  “  Marchant,  so  God 
yow  blesse  ! 

Syn  ye  so  muchel  knowen  of  that  art, 

Ful  hertely  I  pray  yow  telle  us  part.” 

“  Gladly,”  quod  he,  “  but  of  myn  owene 
soore, 

For  soory  herte,  I  telle  may  namoore.”  13,580 

Heere  bigynneth  The  Marchantes  Tale. 

Whilom  ther  was  dwellynge  in  Lumbardye 
A  worthy  knyght  that  born  was  of  Pavye, 

In  which  he  lyved  in  greet  prosperitee  ; 

And  sixty  yeer  a  wyflees  man  was  hee, 

And  folwed  ay  his  bodily  delyt  (9  a  2  5  t.) 

On  wommen  ther  as  was  his  appetyt, 

As  doon  thise  fooles  that  been  seculeer ; 1 
And  whan  that  he  was  passed  sixty  yeer, 

Were  it  for  hoolynesse  or  for  dotage  13)589 
I  kan  nat  seye,  but  swich  a  greet  corage  2 

1  The  Merchant  being  himself  “  seculeer,”  this  must  be  considered 
as  a  sly  expression  of  ironical  respect  for  the  clerics  present.  2  In¬ 
clination. 


WEDLOK  IS  SO  ESY  !  ” 


555 


Hackle  this  knyght  to  been  a  wedded  man 
That  day  and  nyght  he  dooth  al  that  he  kan 
Tespien  where  he  rnyghte  wedded  be  • 

Preyinge  oure  Lord  to  granten  him  that  he 
Mighte  ones  knowe  of  thilke  blisful  lyf 
That  is  bitwixe  an  housbonde  and  his  wyf, 

And  for  to  lyve  under  that  hooly  booncl 
With  which  that  first  God  man  and  womman 
bond. 

“  Noon  oother  lyf,”  seyde  he,  “  is  worth  a  bene, 
For  wedlok  is  so  esy,  and  so  clene,1  13,600 
That  in  this  world  it  is  a  paradys  ;  ” 

Thus  seyde  this  olde  knyght  that  was  so  wys. 

And  certeinly,  as  sooth  as  God  is  kyng, 

To  take  a  wyf  it  is  a  glorious  thyng, 

And  namely  2  whan  a  man  is  oold  and  hoor,  • — 
Thanne  is  a  wyf  the  fruyt  of  his  tresor,8  — 
Thanne  sholde  he  take  a  yong  wyf  and  a  feir, 
On  which  he  rnyghte  engendren  hym  an  heir, 
And  lede  his  lyf  in  joye  and  in  solas  ; 

Where  as  thise  bacheleris  synge,  “  Allas  !  ” 
Whan  that  they  fynden  any  adversitee  13,611 
In  love,  which  nys  but  chilclyssh  vanytee  ; 

And  trewely  it  sit  wel 4  to  be  so  (9 1 53  T0 

That  bacheleris  have  often  peyne  and  wo  ; 

On  brotel 5  ground  they  buylde,  and  brotelnesse 
They  fynde  whan  they  wene  sikernesse.6 
They  lyve  but  as  a  bryd,  or  as  a  beest, 

In  libertee  and  under  noon  arreest ; 7 


1  Pure.  2  Especially.  8  Bought  with  his  money !  4  Is  appro¬ 
priate.  5  Insecure.  0  Suppose  security.  7  Restraint. 


556  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

Ther  as  a  wedded  man,  in  his  estaat, 

Lyveth  a  lyf  blisful  and  ordinaat,  13,620 

Under  this  yok  of  mariage  ybounde. 

Wei  may  his  herte  in  joye  and  blisse  habounde, 
For  who  kan  be  so  buxom  1  as  a  wyf  ? 

Who  is  so  trewe  and  eek  so  ententyf 
To  kepe  hym,  syk  and  hool,  as  is  his  make  ? 2 
For  wele  or  wo  she  wole  hym  nat  forsake  ; 

She  nys  nat  wery  hym  to  love  and  serve 
Thogh  that  he  lye  bedrede  til  he  sterve.3 

And  yet  somme  clerkes  seyn  it  nys  nat  so, 

Of  whiche  he,  Theofraste,4  is  oon  of  tho.  13,630 
What  force  5  though  Theofraste  liste  lye  ? 

“  Ne  take  no  wyf,”  quod  he,  “  for  housbondrye, 
As  for  to  spare  in  houshold  thy  dispence  ; 

A  trewe  servant  dooth  moore  diligence 
Thy  good  to  kepe,  than  thyn  owene  wyf, 

For  she  wol  clayme  half  part  al  hir  lyf ; 

And  if  that 6  thou  be  syk,  so  God  me  save  ! 

Thy  verray  freendes  or  a  trewe  knave 
Wol  kepe  thee  bet  than  she  that  waiteth  ay 
After  thy  good,  and  hath  doon  many  a  day ; 
And  if  thou  take  a  wyf  un-to  thyn  hoold,7 
Ful  lightly  maystow  been  a  cokewold.”  13,642 
This  sentence,  and  an  hundred  thynges  worse, 
Writeth  this  man,  ther  God  his  bones  corse  ! 
But  take  no  kepe  of  al  swich  vanytee ; 

Deffieth  Theofraste  and  herke  me.  (9184  T.) 

1  Compliant  ( bugan ,  to  bend).  2  Mate.  3  Die.  4  Cf.  1.  10,713. 
6  Matter.  6  Not  in  Elies.  MS.  7  Abode. 


557 


“O  FLESSH  THEY  BEEN.” 

A  wyf  is  Goddes  gifte  verraily  ; 

Alle  othere  manere  giftes  hardily, 

As  londes,  rentes,  pasture,  or  commune, 

Or  moebles,1  alle  been  giftes  of  Fortune  13,650 
That  passen  as  a  shadwe  upon  a  wal  ; 

But  dredelees,  if  pleynly  speke  I  shal, 

A  wyf  wol  laste  and  in  thyn  hous  endure, 

Wei  lenger  than  thee  list,  paraventure. 

Mariage  is  a  ful  greet  sacrement ; 

He  which  that  hath  no  wyf  I  holde  hym  shent  ;2 
He  lyveth  helplees  and  al  desolat,  — 

I  speke  of  folk  in  seculer  estaat;  13,658 

And  herke  why,  I  sey  nat  this  for  noght, 

That  womman  is  for  mannes  helpe  ywroght. 
The  hye  God  whan  he  hadde  Adam  maked, 
And  saugh  him  al  allone,  bely  naked,  (9200  t.) 
God  of  his  grete  goodnesse  seyde  than, 

“  Lat  us  now  make  an  helpe  un-to  this  man, 
Lyk  to  hym  self  j  ”  and  thanne  he  made  him  Eve. 
Heere  may  ye  se,  and  heer-by  may  ye  preve, 
That  wyf  is  mannes  helpe  and  his  confort, 

His  Paradys  terrestre,  and  his  disport ; 

So  buxom  and  so  vertuous  is  she, 

They  moste  nedes  lyve  in  unitee.  13,670 

O  flessh  they  been,  and  o  flessh,  as  I  gesse, 
Hath  but  oon  herte  in  wele  3  and  in  distresse. 

A  wyf  !  a  !  Seinte  Marie,  benedicite , 

How  myghte  a  man  han  any  adversitee 
That  hath  a  wyf  ?  Certes,  I  kan  nat  seye. 

1  Furniture,  movables.  2  Ruined.  3  Wealth,  i.  <?.,  prosperity. 


558  the  merchant's  tale. 

The  blisse  which  that  is  bitwixe  hem  tweye  1 
Ther  may  no  tonge  telle  or  herte  thynke. 

If  he  be  povre  she  helpeth  hym  to  swynke,2 
She  kepeth  his  good  and  wasteth  never  a  deel ; 
A1  that  hire  housbonde  lust  hire  liketh  weel ; 
She  seith  not  ones,  “  nay,”  whan  he  seith,  “  ye.” 
“Do  this,”  seith  he;  “A1  redy,  sire,”  seith  she. 

O  blisful  ordre  of  wedlok  precious  !  13,683 

Thou  art  so  murye,3  and  eek  so  vertuous, 

And  so  commended  and  appreved  eek, 

That  every  man  that  halt  hym  worth  a  leek 
Up-on  his  bare  knees  oughte  al  his  lyf 
Thanken  his  God  that  hym  hath  sent  a  wyf  ; 

Or  elles  preye  to  God  hym  for  to  sende 
A  wyf,  to  laste  un-to  his  lyves  ende  ;  13,690 

For  thanne  his  lyf  is  set  in  sikernesse  ; 

He  may  nat  be  deceyved,  as  I  gesse, 

So  that  he  werke  after  his  wyves  reede.4(923i  t.) 
Thanne  may  he  boldely  kepen  up  his  heed, 
They  been  so  trewe,  and  ther  with  al  so  wyse  ; . 
For  which,  if  thou  wolt  werken  as  the  wyse, 

Do  alw'ey  so  as  wommen  wol  thee  reede.5 

Lo,  how  that  Jacob,  as  thise  clerkes  rede, 

By  good  conseil  of  his  mooder  Rebekke, 
Boonde  the  kydes  skyn  aboutehis  nekke,  13,700 
Thurgh  which  his  fadres  benysoun  he  wan. 

Lo  Judith,  as  the  storie  telle  8  kan,  (9240  t.) 
By  wys  conseil  she  Goddes  peple  kepte, 

And  slow  hym  Olofernus  whil  he  slepte. 

1  Cf.  1.  15,581.  -  Work.  3  Pleasant.  4  Advice.  5  Lines  13,694- 
13,697  are  not  in  Elies.  MS.  6  Elles.  MS.  has  “eek  telle.” 


SUFFRE  THY  WYVES  TONGE.”  559 


Lo  Abigayl,  by  good  conseil  how  she 
Saved  hir  housbonde,  Nabal,  whan  that  he 
Sholde  han  be  slayn ;  and  looke  Ester  also, 

By  good  conseil  delyvered  out  of  wo 
The  peple  of  God,  and  made  hym  Mardochee 
Of  Assuere  enhaunced  for  to  be.  13,710 

Ther  nys  no  thyng  in  gree  superlatyf, 

As  seith  Senek,  above  an  humble  wyf.1  (9250  T.) 

Suffre  thy  wyves  tonge,  as  Catoun  2  bit, 

She  shal  comande,  and  thou  shalt  suffren  it, 
And  yet  she  wole  obeye  of  curteisye  ; 

A  wyf  is  kepere  of  thyn  housbondrye. 

Wei  may  the  sike  man  biwaille  and  w'epe, 

Ther  as  ther  nys  no  wyf  the  hous  to  kepe. 

I  wame  thee  if  wisely  thou  wolt  wirche,  13,719 
Love  wel  thy  wyf,  as  Crist  loved  his  chirche. 

If  thou  lovest  thy  self  thou  lovest  thy  wyf. 

No  man  hateth  his  flessh,  but  in  his  lyf 
He  fostreth  it,  and  therfore  bidde  I  thee 
Cherisse  thy  wyf,  or  thou  shalt  nevere  thee.8 
Housbonde  and  wyf,  what  so  men  jape  or  pleye, 
Of  worldly  folk  holden  the  siker  4  weye  ; 

They  been  so  knyt  ther  may  noon  harm  bityde, 
And  namely  6  upon  the  wyves  syde  ; 

For  which  this  Januarie,  of  whom  I  tolde, 
Considered  hath  inwith°hise  dayes  olde  13,730 
The  lusty  lyf,  the  vertuous  quyete, 

That  is  in  mariage  hony  sweete  ; 

1  Cf.  1.  6720.  2  Dionysius  Cato  was  the  nom  de  guerre  of  a  me¬ 
diaeval  compiler.  His  work  was  translated  by  Caxton.  8  Thrive. 
4  Sure.  6  Especially.  6  Within. 


560  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

And  for  hise  freendes  on  a  day  he  sente, 

To  tellen  hem  theffect  of  his  entente. 

With  face  sad  his  tale  he  hath  hem  toold. 

He  seyde,  “  Freendes,  I  am  hoor  and  oold, 

And  almoost,  God  woot,  on  my  pittes 1  brynke  ; 
Up-on  the  soule  somwhat  moste  I  thynke, 

I  have  my  body  folily  despended  ; 

Blessed  be  God  !  that  it  shal  been  amended, 
For  I  wol  be  certeyn  a  wedded  man,  13,741 
And  that  anoon,  in  al  the  haste  I  kan. 

Un-to  som  mayde,  fair  and  tendre  of  age, 

I  prey  yow  shapeth  for  my  mariage 
Al  sodeynly,  for  I  wol  nat  abyde, 

And  I  wol  fonde  2  tespien  on  my  syde 
To  whom  I  may  be  wedded  hastily ; 

But  for  as  muche  as  ye  been  mo  than  I, 

Ye  shullen  rather  3  swich  a  thyng  espyen 
Than  I,  and  where  me  best  were  to  allyen. 

But  o  thyng  warne  I  yow,  my  freendes  deere, 

I  wol  noon  oold  wyf  han  in  no  manere.  13,752 
She  shal  nat  passe  twenty  yeer  certayn, 

Oold  fissh  and  yonge  flessh  wokle  I  have  fayn. 
Bet  is,”  quod  he,  “  a  pyk  than  a  pykerel, 

And  bet  than  olde  boef  is  the  tendre  veel. 

I  wol  no  womman  thritty  yeer  of  age,  — 

It  is  but  benestraw  and  greet  forage  ; 

And  eek  this  olde  wydwes,  God  it  woot,  13,759 
They  konne  so  muchel  craft  on  Wades  boot,4 

1  Grave’s.  2  Try.  3  Sooner.  4  Wade  was  a  Scandinavian  hero, 
famed  for  craft.  His  boot  was  called  Guingelot.  Cf.  Troylus  and 
Cryseyde,  iii.  614. 


“MUCHEL  CRAFT  ON  WADES  BOOT.”  561 

So  muchel  broken  harm  whan  that  hem  leste, 
That  with  hem  sholde  I  nevere  lyve  in  reste ; 
For  sondry  scoles  maken  sotile  clerkis.  (9301  t.) 
Womman  of  manye  scoles  half  a  clerk  is  ; 

But  certeynly  a  yonge  thyng  may  men  gye,1 
Right  as  men  may  warm  wex  with  handes  plye.2 
Wherfore  I  sey  yow  pleynly  in  a  clause, 

I  wol  noon  oolde  wyf  han  for  this  cause  ; 

For  if  so  were  that  I  hadde  swich  myschaunce 
That  I  in  hire  ne  koude  han  no  plesaunce, 
Thanne  sholde  I  lede  my  lyf  in  avoutrye,3  13,77 1 
And  go  streight  to  the  devel  whan  I  dye  ; 

Ne  children  sholde  I  none  up-on  hire  geten  ; 
Yet  were  me  levere  houndes  had  me  eten, 
Than  that  myn  heritage  sholde  falle 
In  straunge  hand,  and  this  I  telle  yow  alle. 

I  dote  4  nat ;  I  woot  the  cause  why 
Men  sholde  wedde,  and  forthermoore  woot  I 
Ther  speketh  many  a  man  of  mariage,  13,779 
That  woot  namoore  of  it  than  woot  my  page. 
For  whiche  causes  man  sholde  take  a  wyf  : 
Siththe  he  may  nat  lyven  chaast  his  lyf, 

Take  hym  a  wyf  with  greet  devocioun, 

By  cause  of  leveful 5  procreacioun 
Of  children,  to  thonour  of  God  above, 

And  nat  oonly  for  paramour  or  love  ; 

And  for  they  sholde  leccherye  eschue, 

And  yelde  hir  dettes  whan  that  they  ben  due  ; 
Or  for  that  ech  of  hem  sholde  helpen  oother 

1  Guide.  2  Mould.  3  Adultery.  4  Doat.  5  Lawful. 

VOL.  I.  36 


562  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

In  meschief,  as  a  suster  shal  the  brother,  13,790 
And  lyve  in  chastitee  ful  holily  ; 

But,  sires,  by  youre  leve,  that  am  nat  I, 

For,  God  be  thanked,  I  dar  make  avaunt, 

I  feele  my  lymes  stark  and  suffisaunt 
To  do  al  that  a  man  bilongeth  to  ; 

I  woot  my  selven  best  what  I  may  do. 

Though  I  be  hoor  I  fare  as  dooth  a  tree 
That  blosmeth,  er  that  fruyt  ywoxen  bee  ; 

And  blosmy  tree  nys  neither  drye  ne  deed. 

I  feele  me  nowhere  hoor  but  on  myn  heed ; 
Myn  herte  and  alle  my  lymes  been  as  grene 
As  laurer  thurgh  the  yeer  is  for  to  sene ;  13,802 
And  syn  that  ye  han  herd  al  myn  entente, 

I  prey  yow  to  my  wyl  ye  wole  assente.” 

Diverse  men  diversely  hym  tolde 
Of  mariage  manye  ensamples  olde. 

Somme  blamed  it,  sonune  preysed  it  certeyn, 
But  atte  laste,  shortly  for  to  seyn, 

As  al  day  falleth  altercacioun 

Bitwixen  freendes  in  disputisoun,  13,810 

Ther  fil  a  stryf  bitwixe  hise  bretheren  two, 

Of  whiche  that  oon  was  cleped  Placebo,  (9350  t.) 
Justinus  soothly  called  was  that  oother. 

Placebo  seyde,  “  O  Januarie  brother, 

Ful  litel  nede  hadde  ye,  my  lord  so  deere, 
Conseil  to  axe  of  any  that  is  heere, 

But  that  ye  been  so  ful  of  sapience 

That  yow  ne  liketh  for  youre  heighe  prudence 

To  weyven  fro  the  word  of  Salomon. 


“  LORDES  BEEN  NO  FOOLES.”  563 

This  word  seyde  he  un-to  us  everychon,  13,820 
‘Wirk  alle  thyng  by  conseil,’  thus  seyde  he, 

‘  And  thanne  shaltow  nat  repente  thee  ;  ’ 

But  though  that  Salomon  spak  swich  a  word, 
Myn  owene  deere  brother,  and  my  lord, 

So  wysly  God  my  soule  brynge  at  reste, 

I  holde  youre  owene  conseil  is  the  beste ; 

For,  brother  myn,  of  me  taak  this  motyf, 

I  have  now  been  a  court  man  al  my  lyf, 

And,  God  it  woot,  though  I  unworthy  be, 

I  have  stonden  in  ful  greet  degree  13,830 

Abouten  lordes  of  ful  heigh  estaat ; 

Yet  hadde  I  nevere  with  noon  of  hem  debaat ; 

I  nevere  hem  contraried  trewely. 

I  woot  wel  that  my  lord  kan  1  moore  than  I ; 
What  that  he  seith  I  holde  it  ferine  and  stable  ; 
I  seye  the  same,  or  elles  thyng  semblable. 

A  ful  greet  fool  is  any  conseillour, 

That  serveth  any  lord  of  heigh  honour, 

That  dar  presume,  or  elles  thenken  it, 

That  his  conseil  sholde  passe  his  lordes  wit.2 
Nay,  lordes  been  no  fooles,  by  my  fay!  13,841 
Ye  han  youre  selven  seyed  heer  to  day 
So  heigh  sentence,  so  holily  and  weel, 

That  I  consente  and  conferme  everydeel 
Youre  wordes  alle,  and  youre  opinioun. 

By  God,  ther  nys  no  man  in  al  this  toun, 

Ne  in  Ytaille,  that  koude  bet  han  sayd. 

Crist  halt  hym  of  this  conseil  wel 3  apayd ; 4 

1  Knows.  2  Knowledge.  3  Elles.  MS.  has  “  ful  wel.”  4  Satisfied. 


564  the  merchant’s  tale. 

And  trewely  it  is  an  heigh  corage 

Of  any  man  that  stapen  1  is  in  age  13)850 

To  take  a  yong  wyf  ;  by  my  fader  kyn, 

Youre  herte  hangeth  on  a  joly  pyn  ! 

Dooth  now  in  this  matiere  right  as  yow  leste, 
For,  finally,  I  holde  it  for  the  beste.” 

Justin  us,  that  ay  stille  sat  and  herde, 

Right  in  this  wise  2  to  Placebo  answercle  : 

“  Now,  brother  myn,  be  pacient  I  preye, 

Syn  ye  han  seyd,  and  herkneth  what  I  seye. 

“  Senek  among  hise  othere  wordes  wyse 
Seith  that  a  man  oghte  hym  right  wel  avyse 
To  whom  he  geveth  his  lond  or  his  catel  ;8 
And  syn  I  oghte  avyse  me  right  wel  13,862 
To  whom  I  geve  my  good  awey  fro  me, 

Wel  muchel  moore  I  oghte  avysed  be  (9402  T.) 
To  whom  I  geve  my  body  for  alwey. 

I  warne  yow  wel,  it  is  no  childes  pley 
To  take  a  wyf  with-oute  avysement. 

Men  moste  enquere,  this  is  myn  assent, 

Wher 4  she  be  wys,  or  sobre,  or  dronkelewe, 

Or  proud,  or  elles  ootherweys  a  shrewe,  13,870 
A  chidestere,  or  wastour  of  thy  good, 

Or  riche,  or  poore,  or  elles  mannyssh  wood  ; 5 
A1  be  it  so  that  no  man  fynden  shal 
Noon  in  this  world  that  trotteth  hool  in  al, 

Ne  man  ne  beest,  which  as  men  koude  devyse ; 
But  nathelees  it  oghte  ynough  suffise 

1  Advanced,  stept.  Cf.  1.  8433.  2  Elles.  MS.  reads  “wise  he.” 

3  Goods.  *  Whether.  e  Madly  attracted  to  men. 


“where  wryngeth  me  my  sho.”  565 

With  any  wyf,  if  so  were  that  she  hadde 
Mo  goode  thewes  1  than  hire  vices  badde  ; 

And  al  this  axeth  leyser  for  tenquere*  — 

For,  God  it  woot,  I  have  wept  many  a  teere 
Ful  pryvely,  syn  I  have  had  a  wyf.  13,881 
Preyse  who  so  wole  a  wedded  mannes  lyf, 
Certein  I  fynde  in  it  but  cost  and  care, 

And  observances  of  alle  blisses  bare ; 

And  yet,  God  woot,  my  neighebores  aboute, 
And  namely  2  of  wommen  many  a  route, 

Seyn  that  I  have  the  mooste  stedefast  wyf, 

And  eek  the  mekeste  oon  that  bereth  lyf ; 

But  I  woot  best  where  wryngeth  me  my  sho.3 
Ye  mowe,  for  me,  right  as  yow  liketh  do. 
Avyseth  yow,  ye  been  a  man  of  age,  13,891 
How  that  ye  entren  in-to  mariage, 

And  namely  with  a  yong  wyf  and  a  fair. 

By  hym  that  made  water,  erthe,  and  air, 

The  yongeste  man  that  is  in  al  this  route 
Is  bisy  ynough  to  bryngen  it  aboute 
To  han  his  wyf  allone  ;  trusteth  me, 

Ye  shul  nat  plesen  hire  fully  yeres  thre,  — 

This  is  to  seyn,  to  doon  hire  ful  plesaunce. 

A  wyf  axeth  ful  many  an  observaunce.  13,900 
I  prey  yow  that  ye  be  nat  yvele  apayd.”  4 
“Wei,”  quod  this  Januarie,  “and  hastow 
ysayd  ? 

Straw  for  thy  Senek,  and  for  thy  proverbes  ! 

I  counte  nat  a  panyer  ful  of  herbes 

1  Traits.  2  Especially.  3  Cf.  1.  10,534.  4  Displeased. 


566  THE  merchant’s  tale. 


Of  scole  termes  ;  wyser  men  than  tbow, 

As  thou  hast  herd,  assenteden  right  now 
To  my  purpos.  Placebo,  what  sey  ye  ?  ” 

“  I  seye  it  is  a  cursed  man,”  quod  he, 

“  That  letteth 1  matrimoigne  sikerly  !  ” 

And  with  that  word  they  rysen  sodeynly, 

And  been  assented  fully  that  he  sholde  13,911 
Be  wedded  whanne  hym  list  and  where  he 
wolde.  (945° t.) 

Heigh  fantasye  and  curious  bisynesse 
Fro  day  to  day  gan  in  the  soule  impresse  2 
Of  Januarie,  aboute  his  mariage. 

Many  fair  shape  and  many  a  fair  visage 
Ther  passeth  thurgh  his  herte  nyght  by  nyght, 
As  who  so  tooke  a  mirour  polisshed  bryght 
And  sette  it  in  a  commune  market-place  ; 
Thanne  sholde  he  se  ful  many  a  figure  pace  3 
By  his  mirour;  and  in  the  same  wyse  13,921 
Gan  Januarie  inwith  his  thoght  devyse 
Of  maydens  whiche  that  dwellen  hym  bisyde. 
He  wiste  nat  wher  that  he  myghte  abyde,4 
For,  if  that  oon  have  beaute  in  hir  face, 
Another  stant  so  in  the  peples  grace 
For  hire  sadnesse  5  and  hire  benyngnytee, 

That  of  the  peple  grettest  voys  hath  she ; 

And  somme  were  riche,  and  hadden  badde 
name  ; 

But  nathelees,  bitwixe  ernest  and  game,  13,930 
He  atte  laste  apoynted  hym  on  oon, 

1  Hindereth.  2  Crowd.  s  Pass.  4  Settle.  8  Gravity. 


567 


“  LOVE  IS  BLYND  AL  DAY.” 

And  leet  alle  othere  from  his  herte  goon, 

And  chees  hire  of  his  owene  auctoritee  ; 

For  love  is  blynd  al  day,  and  may  nat  see. 

And  whan  that  he  was  in  his  bed  ybroght 
He  purtreyed  in  his  herte  and  in  his  thoght 
Hir  fresshe  beautee,  and  Mr  age  tendre, 

Hir  myddel  smal,  hire  armes  longe  and  sklen- 
dre, 

Hir  wise  governaunce,  hir  gentillesse,  13,939 
Hir  wommanly  berynge,  and  hire  sadnesse. 

And  whan  that  he  on  hire  was  condescended 
Hym  thoughte  his  choys  myghte  nat  ben 
amended  ; 

For  whan  that  he  hym  self  concluded  hadde, 
Hym  thoughte  ech  oother  mannes  wit  so  badde 
That  inpossible  it  were  to  repplye 
Agayn  his  choys,  —  this  was  his  fantasye. 

Hise  freendes  sente  he  to,  at  his  instaunce, 
And  preyed  hem  to  doon  hym  that  plesaunce, 
That  hastily  they  wolden  to  hym  come  ;  13,949 
He  wolde  abregge  hir  labour  alle  and  some, 
Nedeth  namoore  for  hym  to  go  1  ne  ryde, 

He  was  apoynted  ther  he  wolde  abyde. 

Placebo  cam,  and  eek  hise  freendes  soone, 
And  alderfirst  he  bad  hem  alle  a  boone  2 
That  noon  of  hem  none  argumentes  make 
Agayn  the  purpos  which  that  he  hath  take, 
Which  purpos  was  plesant  to  God,  seyde  he, 
And  verray  ground  of  his  prosperitee. 


1  Walk.  2  A  request,  boon. 


568  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

He  seyde,  ther  was  a  mayden  in  the  toun, 
Which  that  of  beautee  hadde  greet  renoun, 

A1  were  it  so  she  were  of  smal  degree,  13,961 
Suffiseth  hym  hir  yowthe,  and  hir  beautee  ; 
Which  mayde,  he  seyde,  he  wolde  han  to  his 
wyf,  (9501  T.) 

To  lede  in  ese  and  hoolynesse  his  lyf ; 

And  thanked  God  that  he  myghte  han  hire  al, 
That  no  wighte  his  blisse  parten  1  shal ; 

And  preyde  hem  to  laboure  in  this  nede 
And  shapen  that  he  faille  nat  to  spede  ; 2 
For  thanne  he  seyde  his  spirit  was  at  ese. 

“  Thanne  is,”  quod  he,  “  no  thyng  may  me  dis- 
plese,  i3>97° 

Save  o  thyng  priketh  in  my  conscience, 

The  which  I  wol  reherce  in  youre  presence. 

“  I  have,”  quod  he,  “herd  seyd  ful  yoore  ago 
Ther  may  no  man  han  parfite  blisses  two,  — 
This  is  to  seye,  in  erthe  and  eek  in  hevene,  — 
For  though  he  kepe  hym  fro  the  synnes  sevene, 
And  eek  from  every  branche  of  thilke  tree, 

Yet  is  ther  so  parfit  felicitee 

And  so  greet  ese  and  lust  in  mariage, 

That  evere  I  am  agast  now  in  myn  age,  13,980 
That  I  shal  lede  now  so  myrie  a  lyf, 

So  delicat,3  with-outen  wo  and  stryf, 

That  I  shal  have  myn  hevene  in  erthe  heere, 
For  sith  that  verray  hevene  is  boght  so  deere 
With  tribulacioun  and  greet  penaunce, 

1  Divide,  share.  2  Prosper.  3  Luxurious. 


“UP  to  hevene  skippe  !  ”  569 

How  sholde  I  thanne  that  lyve  in  swich  ple- 
saunce, 

As  alle  wedded  men  doon  with  hire  wyvys, 
Come  to  the  blisse  ther  Crist  eterne  on  lyve 
ys  ? 

This  is  my  drede,  and  ye  my  bretheren  tweye, 
Assoilleth  1  me  this  questioun,  I  preye.”  13,990 
Justinus,  which  that  hated  his  folye, 
Answerde  anon  right  in  his  japerye  ; 2 
And  for  he  wolde  his  longe  tale  abregge, 

He  wolde  noon  auctoritee  allegge, 

But  seyde,  “  Sire,  so  ther  be  noon  obstacle 
Oother  than  this,  God  of  his  hygh  myracle, 

And  of  his  mercy,3  may  so  for  yow  wirche 
That  er  ye  have  youre  right  of  hooly  chirche, 
Ye  may  repente  of  wedded  mannes  lyf, 

In  which  ye  seyn  ther  is  no  wo  ne  stryf ; 

And  elles,  God  forbede,  but  he  sente  14,001 
A  wedded  man  hym  grace  to  repente 
Wei  ofte  rather  than  a  sengle  man  ; 

And  therfore,  sire,  —  the  beste  reed  I  kan,4  — 
Dispeire  yow  noght,  but  have  in  youre  memorie, 
Paraunter  5  she  may  be  youre  purgatorie  ; 

She  may  be  Goddes  meene,6  and  Goddes 
whippe  ! 

Thanne  shal  youre  soule  up  to  hevene  skippe 
Swifter  than  dooth  an  arwe  out  of  the  bowe. 

I  hope  to  God  her-after  shul  ye  knowe  14,010 

1  Solve.  2  Mockery.  8  Elies.  MS.  has  “  hygh  mercy.”  4  Advice 
I  know.  6  Peradventure.  6  Means. 


570  the  merchant’s  tale. 

That  ther  nys  no  so  greet  felicitee 
In  mariage,  ne  nevere  mo  shal  bee,  (9550  t.) 
That  yow  shal  lette  of  youre  savacioun, 

So  that  ye  use,  as  skile  1  is  and  resoun, 

The  lustes  of  youre  wyf  attemprely, 

And  that  ye  plese  hire  nat  to  amorously, 

And  that  ye  kepe  yow  eek  from  oother  synne. 
My  tale  is  doon,  for  my  witte  is  thynne  ■ 

Beth  nat  agast  her-of,  my  brother  deere, 

But  lat  us  waden  out  of  this  mateere.  14,020 
The  Wyf  of  Bathe,  if  ye  han  understonde, 

Of  mariage  which  ye  have  on  honde 
Declared  hath  ful  wel  in  litel  space.2 
Fareth  now  wel,  God  have  yow  in  his  grace.” 
And  with  this  word  this  Justyn  and  his 
brother 

Han  take  hir  leve,  and  ech  of  hem  of  oother ; 
For  whan  they  saughe  that  it  moste  be, 

They  wroghten  so,  by  sly  and  wys  tretee,3 
That  she  this  mayden,  which  that  Mayus 
highte, 

As  hastily  as  evere  that  she  myghte  14,030 
Shal  wedded  be  un-to  this  Januarie. 

I  trowe  it  were  to  longe  yow  to  tarie, 

If  I  yow  tolde  of  every  scrit  and  bond 
By  which  that  she  was  feffed  4  in  his  lond, 

Or  for  to  herknen  of  hir  riche  array. 

But  finally  yeomen  is  the  day 

1  Judgment,  discrimination.  2  Justinus  had  not  been  a  hearer 
of  the  Wife’s  Tale,  however.  3  Diplomacy.  4  Enfeoffed. 


57i 


“  THUS  BEEN  THEY  WEDDED.” 

That  to  the  chirche  bothe  be  they  went 
For  to  receyve  the  hooly  sacrement. 

Forth  comth  the  preest  with  stole  aboute  his 
nekke, 

And  bad  hire  “  be  lyk  to  Sarra  and  Rebekke  ” 
In  wysdom  and  in  trouthe  of  mariage,  14,041 
And  seyde  hir  orisons  as  is  usage, 

And  croucheth  1  hem  and  bad  God  sholde  hem 
blesse, 

And  made  al  siker  2  ynogh  with  hoolynesse. 

Thus  been  they  wedded  with  solempnitee, 
And  at  the  feeste  sitteth  he  and  she, 

With  othere  worthy  folk,  up  on  the  deys.3 
Al  ful  of  joye  and  blisse  is  the  paleys, 

And  ful  of  instrumentz,  and  of  vitaille 
The  moste  deynteuous  of  all  Ytaille.  14,050 
Biforn  hem  stoode  swich 4  instrumentz  of  soun 
That  Orpheus,  ne  of  Thebes  Amphioun, 

Ne  maden  nevere  swich  a  melodye. 

At  every  cours  thanne  cam  loud  mynstralcye 
That  nevere  tromped  Joab  for  to  heere, 

Nor  he  Theodomas 5  yet  half  so  cleere 
At  Thebes,  whan  the  citee  was  in  doute. 

Bacus  the  wyn  hem  skynketh  6  al  aboute, 

And  Venus  laugheth  up-on  every  wight,  — 

For  Januarie  was  bicome  hir  knyght,  —  14,060 
And  wolde  bothe  assayen  his  corage 
In  libertee,  and  eek  in  mariage  ;  (9600  t.) 

1  Crosseth.  2  Sure.  3  Dais.  4  Elies.  MS.  reads  “stooden  iu- 
strumeutz  of  swich.”  5  A  famed  trumpeter.  8  Poureth. 


572  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

And  with  hire  fyrbrond  in  hire  hand  aboute 
Daunceth  biforn  the  bryde  and  al  the  route  ; 
And  certeinly  I  dar  right  wel  seyn  this 
Ymeneus,1  that  god  of  weddyng  is, 

Saugh  nevere  his  lyf  so  myrie  a  wedded  man. 
Hoold  thou  thy  pees,  thou  poete  Marcian,2  — 
That  writest  us  that  ilke  weddyng  murie 
Of  hire  Philologie  and  hym  Mercurie,  14,070 
And  of  the  songes  that  the  Muses  songe,  — 

To  smal  is  bothe  thy  penne  and  eek  thy  tonge,- 
For  to  descryven  of  this  mariage, 

Whan  tendre  youthe  hath  wedded  stoupyng 
age; 

Ther  is  swich  myrthe  that  it  may  nat  be  writen. 
Assayeth  it  youre  self,  thanne  may  ye  witen 
If  that  I  lye  or  noon  in  this  matiere. 

Mayus,  that  sit  with  so  benyngne  a  chiere, 
Hire  to  biholde  it  seined  fairye. 

Queene  Ester  looked  nevere  with  swich  an  eye 
On  Assuer,  so  meke  a  look  hath  she.  14,081 
I  may  yow  nat  devyse  al  hir  beautee, 

But  thus  muche  of  hire  beautee  telle  I  may, 
That  she  was  lyk  the  brighte  morwe  of  May 
Fulfild  of  alle  beautee  and  plesaunce. 

This  Januarie  is  ravysshed  in  a  traunce 
At  every  tyme  he  looked  on  hir  face  ; 

But  in  his  herte  he  gan  hire  to  manace  3 
That  he  that  nyght  in  armes  wolde  hire  streyne 
Harder  than  evere  Parys  dide  Eleyne;  14,090 

1  Hymen.  2  An  African  poet.  3  Threaten. 


“a  squyer  highte  damyan.”  573 

But  nathelees  yet  hadde  he  greet  pitee 
That  thilke  nyght  offenden  hire  moste  he, 

And  thoughte,  “  Allas  !  O  tendre  creature  ! 
Now  wolde  God  ye  myghte  wel  endure 
A1  my  corage,1  it  is  so  sharpe  and  keene  ! 

I  am  agast  ye  shul  it  nat  susteene ; 

But  God  forbede  that  I  dide  al  my  myght. 

Now  wolde  God  that  it  were  woxen  nyght, 

And  that  the  nyght  wolde  lasten  everemo. 

I  wolde  that  al  this  peple  were  ago!  ”  14,100 

And  finally  he  dooth  al  his  labour, 

As  he  best  myghte,  savynge  his  honour, 

To  haste  hem  fro  the  mete  in  subtil  wyse. 

The  tyme  cam  that  resoun  was  to  ryse, 

And  after  that  men  daunce  and  drynken  faste, 
And  spices  al  aboute  the  hous  they  caste, 

And  ful  of  joye  and  blisse  is  every  man,  — 

All  but  a  squyer  highte  Damyan,  (964 6  t.) 
Which  carf  biforn  the  knyght  ful  many  a 
day. 

He  was  so  ravysshed  on  his  lady  May  14,110 
That  for  the  verray  peyne  he  was  ny  wood.2 
Almoost  he  swelte  and  swowned  ther  he  stood, 
So  soore  hath  Venus  hurt  hym  with  hire  brond 
As  that  she  bar  it  daunsynge  in  hire  hond, 

And  to  his  bed  he  wente  3  hym  hastily. 
Namoore  of  hym  at  this  tyme  speke  I, 

But  there  I  lete  hym  wepe  ynogh  and  pleyne 
Til  fresshe  May  wol  rewen  4  on  his  peyne. 

1  Passion.  2  Mad.  3  Turned.  4  Show  pity. 


574  the  merchant’s  tale. 

O  perilous  fyr  that  in  the  bedstraw  bredeth  ! 
O  famulier  foo,  that  his  servyce  bedeth  ! 1  14,120 
O  servant  traytour,  false,  hoomly  hewe,2 
Lyk  to  the  naddre  in  bosom  sly,  untrewe, 

God  shilde  us  alle  from  youre  aqueyntance  ! 

O  Januarie,  dronken  in  plesance 
In  mariage,  se  how  thy  Damyan, 

Thyn  owene  squier  and  thy  borne  man, 
Entendeth  for  to  do  thee  vileynye  ! 

God  graunte  thee  thyn  hoomly  fo  tespye, 

For  in  this  world  nys  worse  pestilence 
Than  hoomly  foo  al  day  in  thy  presence  !  14,130 

Parfourned  hath  the  sonne  his  ark  diurne, 
No  lenger  may  the  body  of  hym  sojurne 
On  thorisonte,  as  in  that  latitude. 

Night  with  his  mantel,  that  is  derk  and  rude, 
Gan  oversprede  the  hemysperie  aboute, 

For  which  departed  is  this  lusty  route 
Fro  Januarie,  with  thank  on  every  syde. 

Hoorn  to  hir  houses  lustily  they  ryde, 

Where  as  they  doon  hir  thynges  as  hem  leste, 
And  whan  they  sye  hir  tyme  goon  to  reste. 

Soone  after  that  this  hastif  Januarie  14,141 
Wolde  go  to  bedde,  he  wolde  no  lenger  tarye. 
He  drynketh  ypocras,  clarree  and  vernage,3 
Of  spices  hoote,  tencreessen  his  corage  • 

And  many  a  letuarie 4  hath  he  ful  fyn 


1  Proffereth.  2  Familiar  servant  (O.  E.  kiwe,  domestic  servant) 
3  Hot  drinks  often  taken  at  bed-time.  4  Electuary.  Cf.  1.  426. 


“  THILKE  BRUSTLES  OF  HIS  BERD.”  575 

Swiche  as  the  monk,  Daun  Constantyn,1 
Hath  writen  in  his  book,  De  Coitu, 

To  eten  hem  alle,  he  nas  no  thyng  eschu  ;2 
And  to  hise  privee  freendes  thus  seyde  he  : 

“  For  Goddes  love,  as  soone  as  it  may  be, 

Lat  voyden  al  this  hous  in  curteys  wyse 14, 15 1 
And  they  han  doon  right  as  he  wol  devyse. 

Men  drynken  and  the  travers  3  drawe  anon  ; 
The  bryde  was  broght  a-bedde  as  stille  as  stoon, 
And  whan  the  bed  was  with  the  preest  yblessed, 
Out  of  the  chambre  hath  every  wight  hym 
dressed  ; 

And  Januarie  hath  faste  in  armes  take 
His  fresshe  May,  his  paradys,  his  make. 

He  lulleth  hire,  he  kisseth  hire  ful  ofte, 

With  thilke  brustles  of  his  berdunsofte,  14,160 
Lyk  to  the  skyn  of  houndfyssh,4  sharpe  as  brere  ; 
For  he  was  shave  al  newe  in  his  manere. 

He  rubbeth  hire  aboute  hir  tendre  face  (9701  t.) 
And  seyde  thus,  “  Allas  !  I  moot  trespace 
To  yow,  my  spouse,  and  yow  greetly  offende, 

Er  tyme  come  that  I  wil  doun  descende ; 

But  nathelees,  considereth  this,”  quod  he, 

“  Ther  nys  no  werkman,  what  so  evere  he  be, 
That  may  bothe  werke  wel  and  hastily. 

This  wol  be  doon  at  leyser  parfitly,  14,17° 
It  is  no  fors  5  how  longe  that  we  pleye  ; 

In  trewe  wedlok  wedded  be  we  tweye, 

1  A  mediaeval  writer  on  medicine.  2  Disinclined.  3  Curtain*. 
4  Dog-fish,  a  kind  of  shark.  5  Consequence. 


576  the  merchant’s  tale. 

And  blessed  be  the  yok  that  we  been  inne  ! 

For  in  oure  actes  we  mowe  do  no  synne. 

A  man  may  do  no  synne  with  his  wyf, 

Ne  hurte  hym-selven  with  his  owene  knyf ; 1 
For  we  han  leve  to  pleye  us,  by  the  lawe.” 

Thus  laboureth  he  til  that  the  daygan  dawe, 
And  thanne  he  taketh  a  sope  in  fyn£  clarree, 
And  upright  in  his  bed  thanne  sitteth  he  ;  14,180 
And  after  that  he  sang  ful  loude  and  cleere, 
And  kiste  his  wyf,  and  made  wantowne  cheere. 
Fie  was  al  coltissh,  ful  of  ragerye, 

And  ful  of  jargon  2  as  a  flekked  pye.3 
The  slakke  skyn  aboute  his  nekke  shaketh 
Whil  that  he  sang,  so  chaunteth  he  and  craketh ; 
But  God  woot  what  that  May  thoughte  in  hire 
herte 

Whan  she  hym  saugh  up  sittynge  in  his  sherte, 
In  his  nyght  cappe,  and  with  his  nekke  lene  ! 
She  preyseth  nat  his  pleyyng  worth  a  bene. 

Thanne  seide  he  thus,  “  My  reste  wol  I  take  ; 
Now  day  is  come,  I  may  no  lenger  wake 
And  doun  he  leyde  his  heed  and  sleepe  til 
pryme.  I4T93 

And  afterward,  whan  that  he  saugh  his  tyme, 
Up  ryseth  Januarie,  but  fresshe  May 
Heeld  hire  chambre  un-to  the  fourthe  day, 

As  usage  is  of  wyves,  for  the  beste  ; 

For  every  labour  som  tyme  moot  han  reste., 

1  The  Parson  does  not  believe  this.  Cf.  1.  19,102.  2  Gabble. 

s  Spotted  magpie. 


577 


“  DAMYAN  IN  VENUS  FYR.” 

Or  elles  longe  may  he  nat  endure  ; 

This  is  to  seyn,  no  lyves  creature,  14,200 

Be  it  of  fyssh,  or  bryd,  or  beest,  or  man. 

Now  wol  I  speke  of  woful  Damyan, 

That  langwissheth  for  love,  as  ye  shul  heere  ; 
Therfore  I  speke  to  hym  in  this  manere. 

I  seye,  O  sely  Damyan,  alias  ! 

Andswere  1  to  my  demaunde  as  in  this  cas. 
How  shaltow  to  thy  lady,  fresshe  May, 

Telle  thy  wo  ?  She  wole  alwey  seye  nay. 

Eek  if  thou  speke,  she  wol  thy  wo  biwreye. 

God  be  thyn  helpe,  I  kan  no  bettre  seye.  14,210 

This  sike  Damyan  in  Venus  fyr 
So  brenneth,  that  he  dyeth  for  desyr ;  (9750  T.) 

For  which  he  putte  his  lyf  in  aventure. 

No  lenger  myghte  he  in  this  wise  endure, 

But  prively  a  penner  2  gan  he  borwe, 

And  in  a  lettre  wroot  he  al  his  sorwe,  — 

In  manere  of  a  compleynte  or  a  lay,  — 

Un-to  his  faire,  fresshe  lady  May ; 

And  in  a  purs  of  sylk  heng  on  his  sherte, 

He  hath  it  put  and  leyde  it  at  his  herte.  14,220 
The  moone,  that  at  noon  was  thilke  day 
That  Januarie  hath  wedded  fresshe  May, 

In  two  of  Tawr,3  was  in  to  Cancre  glyden, 

So  longe  hath  Mayus  in  hir  chambre  byden, 

As  custume  is  un-to  thise  nobles  alle. 

1  Answer  (O.  E.  andswer  icin').  2  Pen-case.  3  The  sign  Taurus. 

vol.  I.  37 


578  the  merchant’s  tale. 

A  bryde  shal  nat  eten  in  the  halle 

Til  dayes  foure  or  thre  dayes  atte  leeste 

Ypassed  been,  thanne  lat  hire  go  to  feeste. 

The  fourthe  day  compleet  fro  noon  to  noon, 
Whan  that  the  heighe  masse  was  ydoon,  14,230 
In  halle  sit  this  Januarie  and  May, 

As  fressh  as  is  the  brighte  someres  day  ; 

And  so  bifel,  how  that  this  goode  man 
Remembred  hym  upon  this  Damyan, 

And  seyde,  “  Seynte  Marie  !  how  may  this  be 
That  Damyan  entendeth  1  nat  to  me  ? 

Is  he  ay  syk  ?  or  how  may  this  bityde  ?  ” 

Hise  squieres,  whiche  that  stooden  ther  bisyde, 
Excused  hym  by  cause  of  his  siknesse,  14,239 
Which  letted  hym  to  doon  his  bisynesse,  — 
Noon  oother  cause  myghte  make  hym  tarye. 

“  That  me  forthynketh,”  2  quod  this  Januarie, 
“  He  is  a  gentil  squier,  by  my  trouthe  ! 

If  that  he  deyde,  it  were  harm  and  routhe  ; 

He  is  as  wys,  discreet,  and  as  secree, 

As  any  man  I  woot  of  his  degree  ; 

And  ther-to  manly  and  eek  servysable, 

And  for  to  been  a  thrifty  man  right  able  ; 

But  after  mete,  as  soone  as  evere  I  may, 

I  wol  my  self  visite  hym,  and  eek  May,  14,25*0 
To  doon  hym  al  the  confort  that  I  kan  ;  ” 

And  for  that  word  hym  blessed  every  man, 
That  of  his  bountee  and  his  gentillesse 
He  wolde  so  conforten  in  siknesse 


1  Attendeth.  2  Vexeth. 


“he  siketh  wonder  depe.”  579 

His  squier,  for  it  was  a  gentil  clede. 

“  Dame,”  quod  this  Januarie,  “  taak  good  hede 
At  after  mete  1  ye  with  youre  wommen  alle, 
Whan  ye  han  been  in  chambre  out  of  this 
halle, 

That  alle  ye  go  se  this  Damyan. 

Dooth  hym  disport,  he  is  a  gentil  man,  14,260 
And  telle th  hym  that  I  wol  hym  visite, 

Have  I  no  thyng  but  rested  me  a  lite  ;  (9800  t.) 
And  spede  yow  faste,  for  I  wole  abyde 
Til  that  ye  slepe  faste  by  my  syde  ;  ” 

And  with  that  word  he  gan  to  hym  to  calle 
A  squier,  that  was  marchal  of  his  halle, 

And  tolde  hym  certeyn  thynges,  what  he  wolde. 
This  fresshe  May  hath  streight  hir  wey 
yholde, 

With  alle  hir  wommen,  un-to  Damyan. 

Doun  by  his  beddes  syde  sit  she  than,  14,270 
Confortynge  hym  as  goodly  as  she  may. 

This  Damyan,  whan  that  his  tyme  he  say,2 
In  secree  wise,  his  purs  and  eek  his  bille, 

In  which  that  he  ywriten  hadde  his  wille, 

Hath  put  in  to  hire  hand,  with-outen  moore,3 
Save  that  he  siketh  wonder  depe  and  soore, 
And  softely  to  hire  right  thus  seyde  he  : 

“  Mercy  !  and  that  ye  nat  discovere  me, 

For  I  am  deed,  if  that  this  thyng  be  kyd.”  4 
This  purs  hath  she  inwith  hir  bosom  hyd, 

And  wente  hire  wey,  — ye  gete  namoore  of  me  ; 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “  noon.”  2  Saw.  3  More  ado.  *  Known. 


58O  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

But  un-to  Januarie  yeomen  is  she  14,282 

That  on  his  beddes  syde  sit  ful  softe. 

He  taketh  hire  and  kisseth  hire  ful  ofte, 

And  leyde  hym  doun  to  slepe,  and  that  anon. 
She  feyned  hire  as  that  she  moste  gon 
Ther  as  ye  woot  that  every  wight  moot  neede  ; 
And  whan  she  of  this  bille  hath  taken  heede, 
She  rente  it  al  to  cloutes  atte  laste, 

And  in  the  pryvee  softely  it  caste.  14,290 

Who  studieth  now,  but  faire,  fresshe  May  ? 
Adoun  by  olde  Januarie  she  lay, 

That  sleepe  til  that  the  coughe  hath  hym 
awaked. 

Anon  he  preyde  hire  strepen  hire  al  naked, 

He  wolde  of  hire,  he  seyde,  han  som  plesaunce  ; 
And  seyde  hir  clothes  dide  hym  encombraunce. 
And  she  obeyeth,  be  hire  lief  or  looth  ; 

But,  lest  ye  precious  1  folk  be  with  me  wrooth, 
How  that  he  wroghte  I  dar  nat  to  yow  telle, 

Or  wheither  that  hire  thoughte  it  paradys  or 
helle ;  14,300 

But  heere  I  lete  hem,  werken  in  hir  wyse, 

Til  evensong  rong,  and  that  they  moste  aryse. 

Were  it  by  destynee,  or  by  aventure,2 
Were  it  by  influence,  or  by  nature, 

Or  constellacioun,  that  in  swich  estaat 
The  hevene  stood,  that  tyme  fortunaat 
Was,  for  to  putte  a  bille  3  of  Venus  werkes 
(For  alle  thyng  hath  tyme,  as  seyn  thise  clerkes) 

1  Fastidious.  2  Chance.  3  Billet. 


“EXCELLENT  FRANCHISE  IN  WOMMEN.”  58 1 

To  any  womman  for  to  gete  hire  love, 

I  kan  nat  seye  ;  but  grete  God  above  14,310 
That  knoweth  that  noon  act  is  causelees, 

He  deme  1  of  al,  for  I  wole  holde  my  pees  ; 

But  sooth  is  this,  how  that  this  fresshe  May 
Hath  take  swich  impressioun  that  day 
For  pitee  of  this  sike  Damyan,  (985 3  t.) 

That  from  hire  herte  she  ne  dryve  kan 
The  remembrance  for  to  doon  hym  ese. 

“  Certeyn,”  thoghte  she,  “whom  that  this  thyng 
displese 

I  rekke  noght,  for  heere  I  hym  assure 
To  love  hym  best  of  any  creature,  14,320 

Though  he  namoore  hadde  than  his  sherte.” 
Lo,  pitee  renneth  soone  in  gentil  herte  ! 2 

Heere  may  ye  se  how  excellent  franchise  8 
In  wommen  is  whan  they  hem  narwe  avyse.4 
Som  tyrant  is,  as  ther  be  many  oon, 

That  hath  an  herte  as  hard  as  any  stoon, 
Which  wolde  han  lat  hym  storven  in  the  place, 
Wei  rather  than  han  graunted  hym  hire  grace  ; 
And  hem  rejoysen  in  hire  crueel  pryde, 

And  rekke  nat  to  been  an  homycide.  14,330 
This  gentil  May,  fulfilled  of  pitee, 

Right  of  hire  hand  a  lettre  made  she, 

In  which  she  graunteth  hym  hire  verray  grace. 
Ther  lakketh  noght  oonly  but  day  and  place 
Wher  that  she  myghte  un-to  his  lust  suffise, 

For  it  shal  be  right  as  he  wole  devyse ; 

1  Judge.  2  Cf.  1.  1761.  3  Generosity.  4  Carefully  consider. 


582  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

And  whan  she  saugh  hir  tyme,  up  on  a  day, 

To  visite  this  Damyan  gooth  May, 

And  sotilly  this  lettre  doun  she  threste  1 
Under  his  pilwe,  rede  it  if  hym  leste.  14,340 
She  taketh  hym  by  the  hand  and  harde  hym 
twiste, 

So  secrely  that  no  wight  of  it  wiste, 

And  bad  hym  been  al  hool ;  and  forth  she  2 
wente 

To  Januarie,  whan  that  he  for  hire  2  sente. 

Up  riseth  Damyan  the  nexte  morwe  ; 

Al  passed  was  his  siknesse  and  his  sorwe. 

He  kembeth  hym,  he  proyneth 3  hym  and 
pyketh,4 

He  dooth  al  that  his  lady  lust  and  lyketh  ; 

And  eek  to  Januarie  he  gooth  as  lowe 
As  evere  dide  a  dogge  for  the  bowe.  14,350 
He  is  so  plesant  un-to  every  man,  — 

For  craft  is  al,  who  so  that  do  it  kan,  — 

That  every  wight  is  fayn  to  speke  hym  good, 
And  fully  in  his  lady  grace  he  stood. 

Thus  lete  I  Damyan  aboute  his  nede, 

And  in  my  tale  forth  I  wol  procede. 

Somme  clerkes  holden  that  felicitee  5 
Stant  in  debt,  and  therfore  certeyn  he, 

This  noble  Januarie  with  al  his  myght, 

In  honeste  wyse,  as  longeth 6  to  a  knyght, 
Shoope  hym  to  lyve  ful  deliciously.  14,361 

1  Thrust.  2  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  he  ”  and  “  hym.”  3  Pruneth. 
4  Trimmeth.  5  Supreme  felicity,  summum  bonum.  6  Belongeth. 


“SO  FAIR  A  GARDYN.”  583 

His  housynge,  his  array,  as  honestly  (9900  T.) 
To  his  degree  was-maked,  as  a  kynges. 
Amonges  othere  of  hise  honeste  thynges 
He  made  a  gardyn  walled  al  with  stoon. 

So  fair  a  gardyn  woot  I  nowher  noon, 

For  out  of  doute,  I  verraily  suppose 

That  he  that  wroot  the  Romance  of  the  Rose 

Ne  koude  of  it  the  beautee  wel  devyse  ; 

Ne  Priapus  ne  myghte  nat  suffise,  1 4,37 o 

Though  he  be  god  of  gardyns,  for  to  telle 
The  beautee  of  the  gardyn,  and  the  welle 
That  stood  under  a  laurer,  alwey  grene. 

Ful  ofte  tyme  he  Pluto,  and  his  queene 
Proserpina,  and  al  hire  fairye, 

Disporten  hem  and  maken  melodye 
Aboute  that  welle,  and  daunced  as  men  tolde. 

This  noble  knyght,  this  Januarie  the  olde, 
Swich  deyntee  hath  in  it  to  walke  and  pleye 
That  he  wol  no  wight  suffren  bere  the  keye, 
Save  he  hym  self,  for  of  the  smale  wyket 
He  baar  alwey  of  silver  a  clyket,1  1 4,382 

With  which  whan  that  hym  leste  he  it  un- 
shette, 

And  whan  he  wolde  paye  his  wyf  hir  dette 
In  somer  sesoun,  thider  wolde  he  go, 

And  May  his  wyf,  and  no  wight  but  they  two, 
And  thynges  whiche  that  were  nat  doon  a 
bedde 

He  in  the  gardyn  parfourned  hem  and  spedde  ;2 

1  Latch-key.  2  Dispatched. 


584  the  merchant’s  tale. 

And  in  this  wyse  many  a  murye  1  day 
Lyved  this  Januarie  and  fresshe  May ;  14,390 
But  worldly  joye  may  nat  alwey  dure 
To  Januarie,  ne  to  no  creature. 

O  sodeyn  hape  !  O  thou  Fortune  instable  ! 
Lyk  to  the  scorpion  so  deceyvable 
That  flaterest  with  thyn  heed  whan  thou  wolt 
stynge  ; 

Thy  tayl  is  deeth,  thurgh  thyn  envenymynge ! 

O  brotil 2  joye  !  O  sweete  venym  queynte  ! 

O  monstre,  that  so  subtilly  kanst  peynte 
Thy  giftes,  under  hewe  of  stidefastnesse, 

That  thou  deceyvest  bothe  moore  and  lesse, 
Why  hastow  Januarie  thus  deceyved  14,401 
That  haddest  hym  for  thy  ful  f reend  receyved  ? 
And  now  thou  hast  biraft  hym  bothe  hise 
eyen, 

For  sorwe  of  which  desireth  he  to  dyen. 

Allas  !  this  noble  Januarie  free, 

Amydde  his  lust  and  his  prosperitee, 

Is  woxen  blynd,  and  that  al  sodeynly  ! 

He  wepeth  and  he  wayleth  pitously 
And  ther  with  al  the  fyr  of  jalousie  — 

Lest  that  his  wyf  sholde  falle  in  som  3  folye  — 
So  brente  his  herte,  that  he  wolde  fayn  14,411 
That  som  man  bothe  hym  and  hire  had  slayn  ; 
For  neither  after  his  deeth  nor  in  his  lyf, 

1  Pleasant.  2  Fragile.  3  Elies.  MS.  has  “  svvich.” 


“WEPETH  FRESSHE  MAY.”  585 

Ne  wolde  he  that  she  were  love  ne  wyf,  (9952  T.) 
But  evere  lyve  as  wydwe  in  clothes  blake, 

Soul 1  as  the  turtle  that  lost  hath  hire  make. 

But  atte  laste,  after  a  monthe  or  tweye, 

His  sorwe  gan  aswage,  sooth  to  seye, 

For  whan  he  wiste  it  may  noon  oother  be 
He  paciently  took  his  adversitee,  14,420 

Save,  out  of  doute,  he  may  nat  forgoon  2 
That  he  nas  jalous  everemoore  in  oon. 

Which  jalousye  it  was  so  outrageous, 

That  neither  in  halle  nyn  8  noon  oother  hous, 
Nyn  noon  oother  place  neverthemo, 

He  nolde  suffre  hire  for  to  ryde  or  go,4 
But  if  that  he  had  hond  on  hire  ahvay ; 

For  which  ful  ofte  wepeth  fresshe  May, 

That  loveth  Damyan  so  benyngnely 

That  she  moot  outlier  dyen  sodeynly  14,430 

Or  elles  she  moot  han  hym  as  hir  leste  ; 

She  wayteth  whan  hir  herte  wolde  breste. 

Up  on  that  oother  syde  Damyan 
Bicomen  is  the  sorwefulleste  man 
That  evere  was,  for  neither  nyght  ne  day 
Ne  myghte  he  speke  a  word  to  fresshe  May, 

As  to  his  purpos,  of  no  swich  mateere, 

But  if  that  Januarie  moste  it  heere, 

That  hadde  an  hand  up-on  hire  everemo  ; 

But  nathelees,  by  writyng  to  and  fro,  14,440 
And  privee  signes,  wiste  he  what  she  mente, 
And  she  knew  eek  the  fyn  of  his  entente. 

1  Sole.  2  Pass  over.  3  Ne  in.  4  Walk. 


586  the  merchant’s  tale. 

O  Januarie  !  what  myghte  it  thee  availle 
Thogh  thou  myghtest  se  as  fer  as  shippes  saille  ? 
For  also  1  good  is  blynd  deceyved  be 
As  to  be  deceyved  whan  a  man  may  se. 

Lo  Argus,  which  that  hadde  an  hondred  eyen, 
For  al  that  evere  he  koude  poure  or  pryen, 

Yet  was  he  blent,2  and  God  woot  so  been  mo 
That  wenen  wisly  that  it  be  nat  so  ;  14,450 

“  Passe-over  is  an  ese,”  3  —  I  sey  namoore. 

This  fresshe  May,  that  I  spak  of  so  yoore,4 
In  warm  wex  hath  emprented  the  clyket 
That  Januarie  bar  of  the  smale  wyket, 

By  which  in-to  his  gardyn  ofte  he  wente  ; 

And  Damyan,  that  knew  al  hire  entente, 

The  cliket  countrefeted  pryvely. 

Ther  nys  namoore  to  seye ;  but  hastily 
Som  wonder  by  this  clyket  shal  bityde, 

Which  ye  shul  heeren,  if  ye  wole  abyde.  14,460 

O  noble  Ovyde  !  ful  sooth  seystou,  God  woot, 
What  sleighte  is  it,  thogh  it  be  long  and  hoot, 
That  he  nyl  fynde  it  out  in  som  manere. 

By  Piramus  and  Tesbee  may  men  leere,5 
Thogh  they  were  kept  ful  longe  streite  overal, 
They  been  accorded,  rownynge  6  thurgh  a  wal, 
Ther  no  wight  koude  han  founde  out  swich  a 
sleighte.  (10,005  T-) 

1  Elies.  MS.  has  “as.”  2  Blinded.  3  It  Is  a  comfort  to  overlook. 
4  Lately.  6  Learn.  8  Whispering. 


“  IN-TO  HIS  FRESSHE  GARDYN.”  587 

But  now  to  purpos,  —  er  that  dayes  eighte 
Were  passed  er  the  month e  of  Juyn  1  bifille, 
That  Januarie  hath  caught  so  greet  a  wille, 
Thurgh  eggyng  of  his  wyf,  hym  for  to  pleye 
In  his  gardyn,  and  no  wight  but  they  tweye, 
That  in  a  morwe  un-to  this  May  seith  he, 

“  Rys  up,  my  wyf,  my  love,  my  lady  free  ! 

The  turtle  voys  is  herd,  my  dowve  sweete, 

The  wynter  is  goon  with  his  reynes  weete ; 

Com  forth  now  with  thyne  eyen  columbyn  ! 
How  fairer  been  thy  brestes  than  is  wyn  ! 

The  gardyn  is  enclosed  al  aboute  ;  14,479 

Com  forth,  my  white  spouse  !  out  of  doute 
Thou  hast  me  wounded  in  myn  herte,  O  wyf  ! 
No  spot  of  thee  ne  knew  I  al  my  lyf ; 

Come  forth,  and  lat  us  taken  som  disport ; 

I  chees  thee  for  my  wyf  and  my  confort !  ” 
Swiche  olde  lewed  wordes  used  he. 

On  Damyan  a  signe  made  she 
That  he  sholde  go  biforn  with  his  cliket. 

This  Damyan  thanne  hath  opened  the  wyket 
And  in  he  stirte,  and  that  in  swich  manere 
That  no  wight  myght  it  se  neither  yheere, 

And  stille  he  sit  under  a  bussh  anon.  14,491 
This  Januarie,  as  blynd  as  is  a  stoon, 

With  Mayus  in  his  hand  and  no  wight  mo, 

In-to  his  fresshe  gardyn  is  ago, 

And  clapte  to  the  wyket  sodeynly. 

1  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  Juyl  ”  (July,  Fr.  Juillet ),  though  Mr.  Skeat, 
following  Mr.  Brae,  says  that  the  word  should  be  Juin ,  June. 


588  the  merchant’s  tale. 

“Now,  wyf,”  quod  he,  “heere  nys  but  thou 
and  I, 

That  art  the  creature  that  I  best  love  ; 

For,  by  that  Lord  that  sit  in  hevene  above, 
Levere  ich  hadde  to  dyen  on  a  knyf, 

Than  thee  offende,  trewe,  deere  wyf.  14,500 
For  Goddes  sake,  thenk  how  I  thee  chees 
Noght  for  no  coveitise  doutelees, 

But  oonly  for  the  love  I  had  to  thee, 

And  though  that  I  be  oold  and  may  nat  see, 
Beth  to  me  trewe,  and  I  shal  telle  yow  why. 
Thre  thynges,  certes,  shal  ye  wynne  ther  by  ; 
First,  Jove  of  Crist,  and  to  youre  self  honour, 
And  al  myn  heritage,  toun  and  tour ; 

I  geve  it  yow,  maketh  chartres  1  as  yow  leste. 
This  shal  be  doon  tomorwe  er  sonne  reste, 

So  wisly  God  mysoule  brynge  in  blisse  !  14,511 
I  prey  yow  first  in  covenat  ye  me  kisse, 

And  though  that  I  be  jalous,  wyte2  me  noght. 
Ye  been  so  depe  enprented  in  my  thoght 
That  whan  that 3  I  considere  youre  beautee 
And  ther  with  al  the  unlikly  elde  of  me, 

I  may  nat,  cartes,  though  I  sholde  dye, 

Forbere  to  been  out  of  youre  compaignye 
For  verray  love,  this  is  with  outen  doute. 

Now  kys  me,  wyf,  and  lat  us  rome  aboute.” 
This  fresshe  May,  whan  she  thise  wordes 
herde,  14,521 

Benyngnely  to  Januarie  answerde  ;  (10,060  t.) 

1  Make  deeds.  2  Blame.  3  Not  in  Elies.  MS. 


“ PUT  ME  IN  A  SAKKE ! ” 


589 


But  first  and  forward,  she  bigan  to  wepe  ; 

“  I  have,”  quod  she,  “  a  soule  for  to  kepe 
As  wel  as  ye,  and  also  myn  honour ; 

And  of  my  wyfhod,  thilke  tendre  flour 
Which  that  I  have  assured  in  youre  hond 
Whan  that  the  preest  to  yow  my  body  bond ; 
Wherfore  I  wole  answere  in  this  manere, 

By  the  leve  of  yow,  my  lord  so  deere  ;  14,530 

I  prey  to  God  that  nevere  dawe  the  day 
That  I  ne  sterve  1  as  foule  as  womman  may, 

If  evere  I  do  un-to  my  kyn  that  shame, 

Or  elles  I  empeyre  2  so  my  name, 

That  I  be  fals  ;  and  if  I  do  that  lakke,3 
Do  strepe  me,  and  put  me  in  a  sakke, 

And  in  the  nexte  ryver  do  me  drenche,4  — 

I  am  a  gentil  womman  and  no  wenche  !  14,538 
Why  speke  ye  thus  ?  But  men  been  evere  un- 
trewe, 

And  wommen  have  repreve 5  of  yow  ay  newe. 
Ye  han  noon  oother  contenance,  I  leeve,6 
But  speke  to  us  of  untrust  and  repreeve.” 

And  with  that  word  she  saughwher  Damyan 
Sat  in  the  bussh,  and  coughen  she  bigan, 

And  with  hir  fynger  signes  made  she 
That  Damyan  sholde  clymbe  up-on  a  tree 
That  charged  was  with  fruyt,  and  up  he  wente; 
For  verraily  he  knew  al  hire  entente, 

And  every  signe  that  she  lcoude  make  14,549 
Wel  bet  than  Januarie,  hir  owene  make  ; 

1  Die.  2  Impair.  3  Fault.  4  Drown.  5  Blame.  6  Believe. 


590  the  merchant’s  tale. 

For  in  a  lettre  she  hadde  toold  hym  al 
Of  this  matere,  how  he  werchen  shal ; 

And  thus  I  lete  hym  sitte  up-on  the  pyrie,1 
And  Januarie  and  May  romynge  myrie. 

Bright  was  the  day,  and  blew  the  firmament ; 
Phebus  hath  of  gold  hise  stremes  doun  ysent 
To  gladen  every  flour  with  his  warmnesse. 

He  was  that  tyme  in  Geminis,  as  I  gesse, 

But  litel  fro  his  declynacioun 

Of  Cancer,  Jovis  exaltacioun  ;  14,560 

And  so  bifel,  that  brighte  morwe  tyde, 

That  in  that  gardyn,  in  the  ferther  syde, 

Pluto  that  is  the  2  kyng  of  fairye,  (10,101  T.) 
And  many  a  lady  in  his  compaignye, 

Folwynge  his  wyf,  the  queene  Proserpyne, 

Ech  after  oother  right  as  ony 3  lyne, 

Whil  that  she  gadered  floures  in  the  mede,  — 
In  Claudyan  4  ye  may  the  stories  rede,  — 

And  in  hise  grisely  carte  he  hire  sette.  14,569 
This  kyng  of  fairye  thanne  adoun  hym  sette 
Up-on  a  bench  of  turves,  fressh  and  grene, 

And  right  anon  thus  seyde  he  to  his  queene  : 

“  My  wyf,”  quod  he,  “  ther  may  no  wight 
seye  nay, 

Thexperience  so  preveth  every  day 

1  Pear  tree.  The  “  pear  tree  story  ”  is  of  very  ancient,  probably 
Eastern  origin.  It  is  included  in  the  Comadia  Lydia  ;  in  the  Fa¬ 
bles  of  Adolphus  ( circ .  1315) ;  in  an  appendix  to  the  Fables  of  .Esop 
(circ.  1430),  translated  by  Caxton  in  14S3  ;  and  it  was  recounted  by 
Boccaccio  (seventh  day,  ninth  novel)  and  by  La  Fontaine,  though 
somewhat  varying  in  its  names  and  incidental  features.  -  Not  in 
Elies.  MS.  3  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  a.”  4  Claudianus,  De  Raptu 

Proserpina ■  Cf.  House  of  Fame,  iii.  419. 


by  saturn’s  soul  !  591 

The  tresons  whiche  that  womraen  doon  to  man. 
Ten  hondred  thousand  stories1  tellen  I  kan 
Notable  of  youre  untrouthe  and  brotilnesse.2 
O  Salomon  !  wys,  and  richest  of  richesse, 
Fulfild  of  sapience  and  of  worldly  glorie, 

Ful  worthy  been  thy  wordes  to  memorie  14,580 
To  every  wight  that  wit  and  reson  kan  ! 3 
Thus  preiseth  he  yet  the  bountee  4  of  man  : 

‘  Amonges  a  thousand  men  yet  foond  I  oon, 
But  of  wommen  alle  foond  I  noon.’ 

“  Thus  seith  the  kyng  that  knoweth  youre 
wikkednesse, 

And  Jhesus  filius  Syrak,  as  I  gesse, 

Ne  speketh  of  yow  but  seelde  reverence. 

A  wylde  fyr  and  corrupt  pestilence, 

So  falle  up-on  youre  bodyes  yet  to  nyght ! 

Ne  se  ye  nat  this  honurable  knyght  ?  14,590 

By-cause,  alias.!  that  he  is  blynd  and  old 
His  owene  man  shal  make  hym  cokewold. 

Lo,  heere  he  sit,  the  lechour,  in  the  tree  ! 

Now  wol  I  graunten  of  my  magestee 
Un-to  this  olde,  blynde,  worthy  knyght, 

That  he  shal  have  ageyn  hise  eyen  syght, 

Whan  that  his  wyf  wold  doon  hym  vileynye. 
Thanne  shal  he  knowen  al  hire  harlotrye 
Bothe  in  repreve  of  hire  and  othere  mo.”  14,599 
“  Ye  shal  ?  ”  quod  Proserpyne  ;  “  wol  ye  so  ? 
Now  by  my  moodres  sires  5  soule  !  I  swere 

1  Omitted  from  the  MSS.  2  Frailty.  3  Knows.  4  Goodness. 
5  Saturn  was  the  sire  of  Ceres,  the  mother  of  Proserpine. 


592  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

That  I  shal  geven  hire  suffisant  answere, 

And  alle  wommen  after,  for  hir  sake, 

That  though  they  be  in  any  gilt  ytake, 

With  face  boold  they  shulle  hem  self  excuse, 
And  bere  hem  doun  that  wolden  hem  accuse  ; 
For  lakke  of  answere  noon  of  hem  shal  clyen. 
A1  haclde  man  seyn  a  thyng  with  bothe  hise 
eyen,  (10,146  t.) 

Yit  shul  we  wommen  visage  it  hardily, 

And  wepe,  and  swere,  and  chide 1  subtilly, 

So  that  ye  men  shul  been  as  lewed  2  as  gees. 
What  rekketh  me  of  youre  auctoritees  ?  14,612 
“I  woot  wel  that  this  Jew,  this  Salomon, 
Fooncl  of  us  wommen  fooles  many  oon, 

But  though  that  he  ne  foond  no  good  womman, 
•Yet  hath  ther  founde  many  another  man  3 
Wommen  ful  trewe,  ful  goode  and  vertuous  ; 
Witnesse  on  hem  that  clwelle  in  Cristes  hous  ; 
With  martirdom  they  preved  hire  Constance. 
The  Romayn  Geestes  4  eek  make  remembrance 
Of  many  a  verray  trewe  wyf  also  ;  14,621 

But,  sire,  ne  be  nat  wrooth,  —  al  be  it  so 
Though  that  he  seyde  he  foond  no  good  wom¬ 
man  ; 

I  prey  yow  take  the  sentence  5  of  the  man, 

Ffe  mente  thus,  that  in  sovereyn  bontee 
Nis  noon  but  God  that  sit  in  Trinitee,6 
Ey,  for  verray  God  that  nys  but  oon  ! 

1  Elies.  MS.  reads  “  visage  it.”  2  Ignorant.  3  Cf.  1.  6709.  4  Gesta 
Romanorum.  6  Sense.  0  Cf.  1.  6692. 


593 


“  I  AM  A  WOMMAN.” 

What  make  ye  so  muche  of  Salomon  ? 

What  though  he  made  a  temple,  Goddes  hous  ? 
What  though  he  were  riche  and  glorious  ? 

So  made  he  eek  a  temple  of  false  goddis. 

How  myghte  he  do  a  thyng  that  moore  for- 
bode 1  is  ?  14,632 

Pardee !  as  faire  as  ye  his  name  emplastre 
He  was  a  lecchour  and  an  ydolastre, 

And  in  his  elde  he  verray  God  forsook  ; 

And  if  God  ne  hadde,  as  seith  the  book, 
Yspared  for  his  fadres  sake,  he  sholde 
Have  lost  his  regne  2  rather  3  than  he  wolde. 

I  sette  right  noght  of  al  the  vileynye 

That  ye  of  wommen  write  4  a  boterflye  !  14,640 

I  am  a  womman,  nedes  moot  I  speke, 

Or  elles  swelle  til  myn  herte  breke ; 

For  sithen  he  seyde  .that  we  been  jangleresses, 
As  evere  hool  I  moote  brouke  5  my  tresses  ! 

I  shal  nat  spare  for  no  curteisye 
To  speke  hym  harm  that  wolde  us  vileynye  !  ” 6 
“  Dame,”  quod  this  Pluto,  “  be  no  lenger 
wrooth, 

I  geve  it  up  !  but  sith  I  swoor  myn  ooth 
That  I  wolde  graunten  hym  his  sighte  ageyn, 
My  word  shal  stonde,  I  warne  yow  certeyn. 

I  am  a  kyng,  it  sit 7  me  noght  to  lye  !  ”  14,651 
“  And  I,”  quod  she,  “  a  queene  of  fairye  ! 
Hir  answere  shal  she  have,  I  undertake. 

1  Forbidden.  2  Kingdom.  8  Sooner.  4  Pinto  had  not  been 
writing,  however.  D  Use,  enjoy.  6  A  remarkable  speech  and 
strange  1  ‘  auctoritees  ”  to  come  from  Pluto:s  queen !  7  Becomes. 

VOL.  X.  38 


594  THE  merchant’s  tale. 

Lat  us  namoore  wordes  heer-of  make, 

For  sothe  I  wol  no  lenger  yow  contrarie.” 

Now  lat  us  turne  agayn  to  Januarie, 

That  in  the  gardyn  with  his  faire  May 
Syngeth  ful  murier  than  the  papejay  : 1 
“  Yow  love  I  best,  and  shal,  and  oother  noon.” 
So  longe  aboute  the  aleyes  is  he  goon  14,660 
Til  he  was  come  agayns  2  thilke  pyrie 
Where  as  this  Damyan  sitteth  ful  myrie 
Anheigh  among  the  fresshe  leves  grene. 

This  fresshe  May,  that  is  so  bright  and 
sheene,  (10,202  t.) 

Gan  for  to  syke  and  seyde,  “  Allas,  my  syde  ! 
Now,  sire,”  quod  she,  “for  aught  that  may  bi- 
tyde, 

I  moste  han  of  the  peres  that  I  see, 

Or  I  moot  dye,  so  soore  longeth  me 

To  eten  of  the  smale  peres  grene.  14,669 

Help,  for  hir  love  that  is  of  hevene  queene  ! 

I  telle  yow  wel  a  wonnnan  in  my  plit 
May  han  to  fruyt  so  greet  an  appetit 
That  she  may  dyen  but  she  of  it  have.” 

“  Allas !  ”  quod  he,  “  that  I  ne  had  heer  a 
knave  3 

That  koude  clymbe  !  Allas,  alias  !  ”  quod  he, 

“  That  I  am  blynd  !  ”  “Ye,  sire,  no  fors,”  quod 
she ; 

“  But  wolde  ye  vouche-sauf,  for  Goddes  sake, 
The  pyrie  inwith  youre  armes  for  to  take,  — 

1  Popinjay,  parrot  (Italian, pafipagallo).  2  Opposite.  8  Boy. 


595 


“A  roryng  and  a  cry.” 

For  wel  I  woot  that  ye  mystruste  me,  — 
Thanne  sholde  I  clymbe  wel  ynogh,”  quod 
she,  14,680 

“  So  I  my  foot  myghte  sette  upon  youre  bak.” 

“  Certes,”  quod  he,  “  ther-on  shal  be  no  lak, 
Mighte  I  yow  helpen  with  myn  herte  blood  !  ” 
He  stoupeth  doun,  and  on  his  bak  she  stood, 
And  caughte  hire  by  a  twiste,1  and  up  she 
gooth,  — 

Ladyes,  I  prey  yow  that  ye  be  nat  wrooth, 

I  kan  nat  glose,2  I  am  a  rude  man,  — 

And  sodeynly  anon  this  Damyan 

Gan  pullen  up  the  smok,  and  in  he  throng. 

And  whan  that  Pluto  saugh  this  grete  wrong, 
To  Januarie  he  gaf  agayn  his  sighte,  14,691 
And  made  hym  se  as  wel  as  evere  he  myghte  ; 
And  whan  that  he  hadde  caught  his  sighte 
agayn, 

Ne  was  ther  nevere  man  of  thyng  so  fayn  ;8 
But  on  his  wyf  his  thoght  was  everemo. 

Up  to  the  tree  he  caste  hise  eyen  two, 

And  saugh  that  Damyan  his  wyf  had  dressed 
In  swich  manere  it  may  nat  been  expressed, 
But  if  I  wolde  speke  uncurteisly ; 

And  up  he  gaf  a  roryng  and  a  cry,  14,700 
As  dooth  the  mooder  whan  the  child  shal 
dye  : 

“  Out !  helpe  !  alias  !  harrow  !  ”  he  gan  to  crye  ; 
“  O  stronge  lady,  stoore,4  what  dostow  ?  ” 

1  Twig.  2  Use  specious  terms.  3  Glad.  4  Rude. 


596  THE  MERCHANT’S  TALE. 

And  she  answerde,  “  Sire,  what  eyleth  yow  ? 
Have  pacience  and  resoun  in  youre  mynde. 

I  have  yow  holpe  on  bothe  youre  eyen 
blynde,  — 

Up  peril  of  my  soule,  I  sbal  nat  lyen, — 

As  me  was  taught  to  heele  with  1  youre  eyen. 
Was  no  thyng  bet  to  make  yow  to  see 
Than  strugle  with  a  man  up-on  a  tree.  14,710 
God  woot,  I  dide  it  in  ful  good  entente.”  . 

“  Strugle,”  quod  he,  “  ye,  algate  in  it  wente  ! 
God  geve  yow  bothe  on  shames  deth  to  dyen  ! 
He  swyved  thee,  I  saugh  it  with  myne  eyen, 
And  elles  be  I  hanged  by  the  hals  !  ”  2 

“  Thanne  is,”  quod  she,  “  my  medicyne  fals, 
For  certeinly,  if  that  ye  myghte  se,  (10,255  T-) 
Ye  wolde  nat  seyn  this  wordes  un-to  me  ; 

Ye  han  som  glymsyng,  and  no  parfit  sighte.” 

“  I  se,”  quod  he,  “  as  wel  as  evere  I  myghte, 
Thonked  be  God  !  with  bothe  myne  eyen  two, 
And,  by  my  trouthe,  me  thoughte  he  dide  thee 
so.”  14,722 

“Ye  maze,  maze,  goode  sire,”  quod  she  ; 

“  This  thank  have  I  for  I  have  maad  yow  see. 
Allas !  ”  quod  she,  “  that  evere  I  was  so  kynde.” 
“  Now,  dame,”  quod  he,  “  lat  al  passe  out  of 
mynde. 

Com  doun,  my  lief,  and  if  I  have  myssayd, 

God  helpe  me  so,  as  I  am  yvele  apayd.8 
But,  by  my  fader  soule  !  I  wende  han  seyn  4 

1  “  To  heele  with  ”  means  to  heal.  2  Neck.  3  Displeased.  4  Seen. 


“  WHO  IS  GLAD  ?  ” 


597. 


How  that  this  Damyan  hackle  by  thee  leyn, 

And  that  thy  smok  hackle  leyn  up-on  his  brest.” 
“  Ye,  sire,”  quod  she,  “  ye  may  wene  as  yow 
lest,  i4,732 

But,  sire,  a  man  that  waketh  out  of  his  sleepe, 
He  may  nat  sodeynly  wel  taken  keepe 
Up  on  a  thyng,  ne  seen  it  parfitly, 

Til  that  he  be  adawecl 1  verraily. 

Right  so  a  man  that  longe  hath  blynd  ybe, 

Ne  may  nat  sodeynly  so  wel  yse, 

First  whan  his  sighte  is  newe  come  ageyn, 

As  he  that  hath  a  day  or  two  yseyn.  14,740 
Til  that  youre  sighte  ysatled  2  be  a  while, 

Ther  may  ful  many  a  sighte  yow  bigile. 

Beth  war,  I  prey  yow,  for,  by  hevene  kyng, 

Ful  many  a  man  weneth  to  seen  a  thyng, 

And  it  is  al  another  than  it  semeth. 

He  that  mysconceyveth,  he  mysdemeth,”  — 
And  with  that  word  she  leepe  doun  fro  the 
tree. 

This  Januarie,  who  is  glad  but  he  ? 

He  kisseth  hire  and  clippeth  3  hire  ful  ofte, 

And  on  hire  wombe  4  he  stroketh  hire  ful  softe  ; 
And  to  his  palays  hoorn  he  hath  hire  lad.5 
Now,  goode  men,  I  praye  yow  be  glad.  14,752 
Thus  endeth  heere  my  tale  of  Januarie. 

God  blesse  us,  and  his  mooder  Seinte  Marie  ! 

1  Awakened.  2  Confirmed.  3  Embraceth.  4  Belly.  5  Led. 


598 


WORDS  OF  THE  HOST. 


The  Host's  words  to  the  Squire. 

“  Ey,  Goddes  mercy,”  seyde  oure  Hoost  tho,1 
“  Now  swich  a  wyf,  I  pray  God  kepe  me  fro  ! 
Lo,  whiche  sleightes  and  subtiltees 
In  wommen  been  !  for  ay  as  bisy  as  bees 
Been  they,  us  sely  2  men  for  to  deceyve  ; 

And  from  a  sooth  evere  wol  they  weyve.3  14,760 
By  this  Marchauntes  tale  it  preveth  .weel ; 

But  doutelees,  as  trewe  as  any  steel  (10,300  T.) 
I  have  a  wyf,  though  that  she  povre  be  ; 

But  of  hir  tonge  a  labbyng4  shrewe  is  she  ; 

And  yet  she  hath  an  heepe  of  vices  mo, 
Ther-of  no  fors,  lat  alle  swiche  thynges  go  ; 

But  wyte  ye  what  ?  In  conseil  be  it  seyd, 

Me  reweth  soore  I  am  un-to  hire  teyd  ; 

For,  and  I  sholde  rekenen  every  vice  5 
Which  that  she  hath,  ywis  I  were  to  nyce  ; 

And  cause  why,0  it  sholde  reported  be,  14,771 
And  toold  to  hire  of  somme  of  this  meynee, 

Of  whom  it  nedeth  nat  for  to  declare 
(Syn  wommen  konnen  outen  7  swich  chaffare  8), 
And  eek  my  wit  suffiseth  nat  ther  to 
To  tellen  al,  wherfore  my  tale  is  do.” 

End  of  the  Tales  of  the  Third  Day. 

1  Then.  2  Innocent.  3  Stray.  4  Blabbing.  5  Fault.  6  Now 
deemed  a  vulgarism.  7  Express.  Cf.  1.  10,563.  8  Gossip. 


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ffiSSKi  of  Geoffrey  COaueer: 

Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


Princeton 


00028  0679 


